Days Without Lies
by hana4262
Summary: Kurama and Shuichi are both the same person. But what will it be if they are separated?
1. Prologue

Konnichiwa, this is my first fic, so please bear with me. I've been having this idea for some time now. Most fic I read that goes on Shiori-san knew about Kurama only stopped on the point she knew. So I decided to make my own fic about how Kurama's life is after that. Since this is my first fic, flames and constructive criticism are welcomed. And arigatou-gozaimasu to **Kai-san** for encouraging me making an account on Fan Fiction. Guess I'm out from your lazy competition, huh? This fic is also for **Akire-nee-chan **and **Nabila-nee-chan**; you guys give me great ideas, arigatou-gozaimasu. And the time line would probably fall on after Kurama returned to Ningenkai. MY BIGGEST APPRECIATION TO IDA-SENSEI, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I COULDN'T FINISH THIS WITHOUT YOU.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, Kurama or even Puu-chan eventhough I've tried bargaining it with Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei. I mean, is it that _HARD_ to give me Kurama to bring home to meet Mummy? And the venue's at my dream. Last night's actually.

* * *

**Days without Lies**

****"_**A mother's love for her child is nothing else in the world. It knows no aw, no pity, it dares all things and crush down remorselessly all that stands in its path."**_

**Prologue**

_We used to be one entity, but now we're two separate beings._

_

* * *

_

Everything seemed like a dream.

Or was nightmare the appropriate word?

In my memory, I can reminisce it all perfectly.

After I returned from Makai, life for me continued as usual. Kaa-san and Otou-san had returned from their honeymoon, glad to finally be back home with our newly tied family. Kaa-san had seen my wounds from the tournament and thought that there really was an earthquake during her honeymoon period (Refer to manga chapter 161). She had also found one of my pieces of clothing that was covered with blood. Odd, because I was positive I had disposed of it. That encounter had added more confidence in her earthquake theory.

I assured her that there wasn't any earthquake and the bruises were the product of my carelessness, which is partially true . Unsatisfied, she still demanded the _truth_. The look in her eyes that fire, I felt myself burn underneath her gaze, by myself. I realized, _no _Shuichi realized that lying to her could only bring my new family more trouble than it already had. I knew that this day would come, sooner or later, although I didn't expect to be _this_ early. I never really had prepared myself for this, seeing that I was always too busy.

I hesitated at first, but I couldn't bear lying to Kaa-san and my family anymore. It wasn't right nor was it fair. I mustered the little courage I had left and enlightened them with the truth. Tears managed to flee my eyelids as I explained everything form my _death_ as Youko Kurama, a youkai kitsune to the recent Makai tournament. I apologized for deceiving them, especially to Kaa-san.

I knew that this would cause her stress, disappointment... pain. This would hurt her very much. Kaa-san was so frail, so soft and tender. Causing her pain such pain would be the ultimate unpardonable act. A sinful act that _I, _Shuichi Minamino her _presumed_ precious son had just committed.

After I finished my story, silence filled the room. I didn't have the nerve to see their expressions. I cried silently then, something that I did only _once_ in Makai. But the pain was much more unbearable now. I wanted to add more, to tell them how fortunate I was to meet them, but a lump formed itself in my throat.

I saw myself turning my head, away from them. In that second, I saw their faces. Otou-san, he was very shocked, Shuichi was no better, but Kaa-san, her face... it was _blue_. I still remember how painful she looked. Those eyes that were staring at me were very _sad_. It was like her nightmare's been materialized in front of her. Tears slipped down her cheeks like rain. I stepped back from them, I wanted to run away. I wanted to hide, and I didn't realize I was being a coward.

_But..._

I knew I'd regretted that. If I didn't say it, _I'll regret it for the rest of my life_.

"I'm sorry... because I caused so much... pain. For doing such a thing... stealing your _child,_ I also... cannot forgive myself. I don't want you... to forgive me either. I know... I can never deserve your love... but I... I always crave for it. I didn't intend it," the lump was back. I've never been so open like that, maybe that's why it was hard.

"I... I love you. I love you all," I remembered my words completely. I turned around, to run, like the coward I am. At that moment, in the back of my mind, I wanted someone to stop me. The pain that caused me was multifaceted and intense. I couldn't bare it by myself. I know I can't. A hand stopped me. I recognized that hand, clinging to my elbow, but I didn't acknowledge the gesture.

"Where are you going, Shuichi?" that voice, as usual, was soft. I didn't turn around nor did I walk away. I didn't know _what _to do. "You're not leaving, are you? You can't leave _your_ family."

I stood there, filled with stupor. _My... family?_

"Aniki? You can't leave. You can't! Who'll be my nii-san if you leave?" I heard Shuichi said, his voice near.

"He won't leave. Because he belongs here. With us," Otou-san's voice filled my head. I turned around, to face them. To ensure if all that wasn't my imagination. Kaa-san, she embraced me like it was the first time we met.

"Shuichi... my perfect son, Shuichi."

"_Our_ perfect son, Shuichi."

I could still reminisce that warm feeling when we hugged each other. So that's how it felt like, to have a family. To love the people that mattered to you most.

* * *

"So, Shuu-nii…" Shuichi said.

"Yes?" I took a look at him. He's looking down on the pavement and avoiding my stare. He must have a question to ask me. It is very easy to read him. His facial expressions, his body language, I already memorized it all. Actually, I found every ningen I encountered were very easy to decipher. Well, that is, before I met Yusuke.

"I was wondering... Do you mind introducing me to your friends? I mean Yusuke-kun, Kuwabara-kun and Hiei-kun."

I almost burst myself laughing hearing Shuichi saying Hiei's name with an honorific. Obviously, Shuichi did not _KNOW_ Hiei.

"I suppose my stories summoned a bit of curiosity, eh?"

"A bit? Talk about a MOUNTAIN of curiosity! Do you think it's easy to imagine some sort of…fen…re-"

"Reiki?" I said helping him.

"Yeah! Reiki coming out from the index finger like a gun? I always confuse it with laser beams," he complained while holding his hand much like Yusuke.

"I thought I described it rather detailed."

"Yes. Yes you did. Except that I don't know _HOW_ Reiki looked like. And I always trailed off Kuwabara-kun's Reiken with those Star Wars swords."

I chuckled. Seriously, _Star Wars swords? _"Toutou, I'm starting to think that you don't have imaginations."

"What? Like I didn't imagine every type of '_fury sword' _like you described. Let's just say Kuwabara-kun wields a torch with fire," he ended with a sarcastic tone.

There was silence.

Then the streets were filled with our laughter. A picture of Kuwabara with a torch does seem to fit him.

"Alright then. I'll introduce them to you. We're having a get together later today. I'll tell Yusuke that you'll be coming as well. I'll text you later, okay?" I asked him with a smile. We stopped in front of his school's front gates, Sakaguchi Junior High.

"Sure thing, aniki," he said, already walking to his school. "In that case, ja ne," he turned to face me and waved before entering the school grounds.

"Oh, and Shuichi?" I added after taking a step forward.

"Yeah?"

"Feng shui and Reiki are two different things," I finished with a smirk.

"Wh- Whatever!" he stomped promptly, managing to hide his now pink face from me.

I chuckled and started my way to Mieou. I really enjoy spending time with Shuichi. Even if it's a 15 minute walk to school. It makes me feel… _normal_. The only normal thing I usually do is going to school. And even I'm uncertain if that's normal or coercion. Every day seemed insufferably monotonous than the prior. Not to mention the _fangirls_.

Upon reaching the school grounds, I was greeted from juniors to classmates. "Ohayou, Minamino-senpai," a girl I once encountered at the library. I did not make much effort to listen to her introduction that day, though, since I was on the hurry. I nodded and smiled casually at her and replied, "Ohayou."

A few more students greeted me and I tried _not _to look uncomfortable with their attentions while replying 'ohayou' for 14 times. I didn't even recognize most of them. I walked swiftly before anyone greeted me again but I couldn't flee from a too familiar voice.

"Oi, Shuichi!" the voice greeted me with less etiquette than the others. I can feel the voice's owner getting closer. "Wait for me!" I turned around to see my friend, Hamaguchi Ken grinning to me. I couldn't help but to grin back. He's the only friend close to me other than my _other _friends.

He's not the one to be called popular nor does he belong with the low ranked, he's perfectly in the middle. He's pretty laid back, seemed to be in his own dimension sometimes and the same as any other boy his age. While I struggled to be the perfect Shuichi Minamino, he kept on going with his own pace, thankful by what he has and what he received as Ken Himaguchi. I always found myself envy of how normal he is and every time I faced a _normal_ problem, he'll be in his desk waiting for me. I ought to be more thankful for his easy going nature.

Today he looked no different than yesterday, or the days before. He always comes with the same fashion; the top button of his magenta uniform unfasten, revealing his white polo shirt. And he _always _has a cap or a hat or any sort of headdress on him. And today, he's wearing a black Nike cap. I once questioned why he does this and his answer was what to be expected from a guy like him.

"Oh, it's because I wanna look different. I mean, everyone wears the same thing with the same tidy way and even imagining myself like that makes me feel nauseated. There's no way I'm dressing like a complete nerd. No offense."

"None taken."

"And the cap, it's like my trade mark. You're smart right? So you can tell why I wear a headgear every time."

"Is it because no one in the school wears a cap other than you?" I asked in a knowing tone.

"Bingo. Mieou is a big place you know. The only way to get attention is either be on the track team orbe like _you_. Since I can't accomplish either, I decided to be different from everyone else. When people talk about 'that guy with the cap' or 'the hat guy', they're certainly talking about me. Easy publicity eh?"

I smiled, it reminded me of Yusuke with his _green_ uniform.

He caught up with me trying to slow his strides to match mine. "Hey, Shuichi, can I copy your biology homework?" he asked me out of the blue. He of all people knew what's going to be my response. And I'm not going to change it any time soon.

"No. You need to do your homework by yourself. What's the point of copying it, if you don't understand anything? Need I remind you-" I managed to say before I was _rudely_ cut off.

"Could you save the crap, Shuichi? I knew you'll say 'No' but I tried because I want you to teach me," he finished with a serious tone. And my face turned to him in shock. He's asking me to teach him biology. Usually he just sneaked my book when I'm out of the room and forced me to fight him for it. And now he's asking for _my_ help? Maybe this is a _nightmare._

"So has Ken Himaguchi been replaced by a more sensed alien, and now learning about the plants in Earth to use it for world domination?" I give a snide smirk. Take it from me, you _CAN_ have world domination with plants. I just don't choose to do it.

"Ha-ha, very funny," he gave me a I-know-I shouldn't-did-this look. "I'm being serious here. Look, I know before this I was oblivious to everything, but I'm a new guy now. FYI, I have an ambition _too_. I even brought my own revision book."

"To be completely honest with you took every ounce of willpower in my part, and I say, you don't look any different to me," I said, scrutinizing him. And then I chuckled again. I mean, try imagining Yusuke studying is as hilarious as imagining Ken studying. Although it does seem to make sense. He _did_ get accepted to Mieou. Maybe under all that blank, there's a fill.

He shot me a baleful look. "Are you going to teach me or are you just going to harass me all day?"

"Okay, okay. I'm done. I'll teach you," I said in the end. Teaching has always been my professionalism. "So, library, at lunch?"

If I didn't have youkai senses, I wouldn't say he twitched. And if I didn't know him better, I wouldn't say he's thinking that he's going to waste his lunch time for a session with books and a lecture about cells and plants. Now he's mentally arguing with himself -like I occasionally do- whether to accept or to renounce. We'd reached our class, and I sat on my desk peered him on my right, waiting for some sort of reply.

Maybe he has a youkai living in him too. And _they _have this kind of discussions every time. That'll explain all his spacing out. He gave out a long, regretful sigh and said, "Yeah. Sure. Anything to get me an A in this bloody Biology. So, are we going to get lunch first before that?"

He looked so _obliged._ I never saw him like this. In fact, I never saw him following people orders, I saw him _ordering_ people. He must have a problem or something.

"Ken, do you have a problem or something? I mean, you weren't suppose to oblige, you're suppose to shrug it off and say, " What do I care about some Biology crap? Video games are more important than learning about how my body works!" or something around that line..." I trailed off.

To my surprise, he laughed like I cracked a joke. "Dude, Shuichi. Notes. One, you're a bad imitator." I already knew it. Inari never prospered me with acting. Now I know why I'm more of a con-artist. "Second, I'm the one who _solves _problems, not you. But I'll give you credit for trying though," he crossed his legs on his table with his hands in his pockets. Normally, I would thrust his feet off the desk, but I'm not going to bother today.

"So..." I managed to say. I don't really think what he said helped me with any progress on him.

"I don't have a prob. I was thinking the other day, y'know, spacing out. And suddenly, I remembered that I used to write this job on my notebooks. Every time my sensei asked my ambition, I'll shout, " Biologist!"," he chuckled. "I used to imagine myself in lab coats or discovering new species of animals. And then my Mom used to help me buy out books and such. But somehow, I didn't see myself like that anymore when I was in junior high. I don't really know why. Maybe, because I forgotten what I wanted to do when I'm out of this stupid uniforms," he finished and turned his head to see through the window. We were silent for a long minute.

"I dunno. But... that's what I think. I just forgot how it's like. Y'think my Mom will freak if I say I wanna be a biologist again at the career counseling interview?" he joked. Even though he gave me that usual smile of his, I can see a faint melancholic trace in his coal eyes.

"Yeah. I know she will." After all the encouragements I gave him, a strangle and a hair ruffle treatment are the only things I got. If we were in a spacious place I'll surely flip him off the ground. A beep from my phone distracted us in our little sparring match, which I was winning, obviously. It's a text from Shuichi.

_Did U asked Yusuke-san? Can I come?_

Shuichi sure _is_ very ecstatic about meeting them.

"Dammit, Shuichi! Let me go! Owww!" I twisted his hand a little _harder. _That's for the hair. Our classmates didn't took notice of this, of course. It's all part of the routine. Still pinning Ken on the desk, I typed a reply.

_Not yet. Gomen ne. I'll do it now._

I released Ken's arm and gave him an innocent smile. "Arigatou for the practice." He pouted while rubbing his arm.

"Are you sure you're _human?"_ he asked. I nodded while chuckling if he only knew.

I scan for Yusuke's number and press Call. "Do you mind? I'm phoning someone here." After 5 minutes of redialing, a voice finally answered.

"What the hell do you want calling me at eight in the fucking morning?" his voice hoarse and he let out a yawn. Typical Yusuke.

"Ohayou, Yusuke. It's me. _Kurama," _I whispered at my name. If I say Shuichi, he'll just say, "Wrong number." and hung up. He never really did acknowledged my _human_ name.

"OH! Hey, Kurama," he sounded genuinely surprised. "Sorry 'bout that. I had a long night, y'know?"

"I'm sure you have."

"So what's up?"

"About our get together later today..."

* * *

Hello. I know it was a bit confusing but I promise that the next few chapters will enlighten the real theme for this fic..

Thank you so much for reading this and I hope it wasn't a waste of your time. As I said, constructive criticism and flames (although they are very hard to digest sometimes) are welcomed..

Ja ne...


	2. Day 1: Meet The Urameshi Team

This chapter has been reversed!

Hello... Finally, Chapter 1 is up! Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed. Again to IDA-SENSEI, ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU! Flames and constructive criticism are welcomed..

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho, Kurama or Puu-chan. If I'll get rich maybe then I can buy the whole YYH! HAHAHA! Bow to the power of money!

**Warning**: Language and a little OOC and OCs

* * *

**Days Without Lies**

_**"An older brother is someone who protects you, teaches you and stop you from doing HIS mistakes"**_

**Day 1: Meet the Urameshi Team**

**

* * *

**

I'm so excited! No, I'm _ecstatic_! Earlier aniki texted me that Yusuke-kun already gave the thumbs up. I'm _finally_ gonna meet his friends!

Since he told us the truth, we've begun to take interest in aniki's life. From start till present. Every time we have spare time, he'll tell us about his missions given by Koenma-sama, the Dark tournament till how he had fought Shigure in the Makai Tournament. Of course in front of Kaa-san and Tou-san, he edited his stories, but I get to hear the full versions of it. He was afraid that maybe they'll get heart attacks from hearing the whole part of it. And trust me, they _will_ if they knew. I almost fainted myself (he describe things a little too clearly). And we finally knew why he was so obsessed with plants. He even showed us his Parrot grass plant (which Kaa-san easily loved it). He only showed his Rose Whip to me.

He told me the raids he used to have back when he was Youko Kurama and how he sometimes missed the Makai wind fluttering his hair. Oh, and about his thieving buddy, Kuronue-kun. He blamed himself for Kuronue-kun's death but I think he's innocent. I prayed to Kami-sama to give my thanks to Kuronue-san. If it wasn't for his death, I wouldn't be able to have my aniki and I hope that Kami-sama would lighten his punishments. I too hoped that someday I'll be able to meet him face on and thank him myself.

At first Kaa-san didn't really approve of him being a thieve but when she knew that he stole the Forlorn Hope and almost gave his life for her, she cried while saying, "Oh Shuichi! I'm so sorry! I never knew how you almost gave your life for me. Gomen ne...". Of course aniki was confused when Kaa-san knew about the Forlorn Hope because he never told her that, I did. I mean, he's being too modest. Kaa-san and Tou-san deserved to know and he deserved some credit for his _art of stealing_.

I also knew that the blue apparition I used to see in my nightmares was real. Aniki told me that the youkai inhabited me to take an eye on him. After threatening the youkai, it agreed to leave me in no harm. Now I'm in debt to him more than ever.

Since we know that aniki's a Reiki tantei, Kaa-san made some ground rules for him.

a) No leaving for missions without a note with specific details (aniki didn't agreed about the last part but after Kaa-san made a begging face, he yielded. I never knew Kaa-san was the sneaky type).

b) No using powers or youki in the house except for emergencies.

c) Spend more time with the family.

d) No secrets that the family should know.

e) Find a girlfriend.

He easily followed them, well … spare rule 'e'. He said he didn't have time for that. It was never the top in his priority list, in the last and in his current life. But I think maybe he's just afraid of being rejected. For a guy so strong and cool, he have a sensitive heart (although he hides it, I knew better).

AND I've found out that I, Shuichi Hatanaka, too, possesses some reiki. All thanks to that blue apparition that lived in me. It makes sense now! Lately I've been seeing weird things like floating figures and sort. At first I'm hell scared, but aniki told me that they're just earth-bound spirits so I'm pretty much used to them already. I even communicated with one. Besides, my reiki's not that strong enough to see high leveled apparatuses (apparently, I'm in E- class). I've asked aniki if I have some sort of powers, but he wasn't sure. I mean, 's all right, having reiki's cool. But having powers is much _much_ cooler. Aniki promised that he'll help me control my reiki and maybe we'll found out if I have powers or not (which I'm 100% positive sure I have).

I haven't been paying attention to the sensei's lecture, I was _too_ busy imagining how'll my encounter with aniki's friends gonna be.

"And at August 9th 1945, the atomic bomb assaults were continued at Nagasaki. It was assumed that the amount of lives loss at that time were..."

And blah, blah, blah... Who cares what happened at the war? Shouldn't we just move on and forget about it?

I wonder what am I gonna say to Yusuke-kun. Maybe, "I've heard lots of stories of you from aniki..."-nah! Too stiff. Or, "Could you teach me how to fight?", no way! Aniki's gonna kill me. OH! I know, I know! "You're much cooler than Kuwabara-kun." discreetly of course. Yeah, that sounded much better. And I'll say the opposite thing to Kuwabara-kun, "You're much cooler than Yusuke-kun.".

Now Hiei-kun. Hmm, according to aniki, Hiei-kun isn't the talking type like the other two. I'm not even fluent in his 'hn' language. Maybe if I just start saying a few 'hn's he'll start saying 'hn' to me too. Maybe I'll even _sing_ it in a Sayonara Bye Bye tune.

H-h-h-h-h-hn,

Hn, hn, _h~h~hn_

God, that was tiring. Maybe singing it wasn't a significant idea after all. How do people, no, youkai communicate anyway? Through violence I think. In that case, I could just punch him playfully on the shoulder and then he'll turn around with his blood crimson eyes and… never mind. Moving on. Maybe I should-

_Riiiiiinnnnnggg!_

What? The bell? I was in class all the time? I thought I was with aniki and his friends. And I was about to be- Wait! So I was daydreaming the _whole_ period? Huh. I didn't realized. The fifty minutes flew so fast. I _should_ daydream in History class more often.

Taking out the bento Kaa-san packed for me, I started nibbling the goma-ae. Where was I? Oh yes, planning operation talking to Hiei-kun. I was so into my thoughts I didn't notice a presence behind me.

"I see you're enjoying your bento. Can I have some too?" the voice plea. Already acknowledged by who he is, I just continue my lunch.

"No can do. Kaa-san cooked this especially for me. 'Sides, you don't have a mouth to put it in."

Shouta stuck out his tongue at me which I pretended I didn't see. Actually, I wouldn't have seen that if it wasn't for my reiki. Yep, you've guessed it. He's an earth-bound spirit. The only spirit I can communicate with _yet_. He was 13 when he died. The reason he didn't go _up there_ is because of his imouto. His imouto is my classmate Sayaka Utsumi. Even after Shouta died, Sayaka still longed for him, and so does he.

To make a long story short, he's here to take care of Sayaka.

"You seemed unusually joyful today. Got a date or something?" he took a seat in front of me with his face on his hands and inquires me. It's becoming a habit of his, prying me since the three months we've met.

"No. I'm finally gonna meet The Urameshi Team. Cool, huh?" I ended with a snide. He's going to be pissed. Lucky he didn't have a body anymore to beat me or anything.

"What? Seriously? You're meeting them today? Can I come? Can I? Can I?" he's only an inch from my face with his neko eyes. Jeez, for someone who's supposed to be older than me, he sure is childish (and banshee-ish). Wait, I'm older than him, aren't I? I'm 14 and he's _still_ 13.

"I don't think any spirits were invited. It's not my reunion, it's theirs. Besides-"

"Kurama knows me too! Don't I count?"

Oh yeah, aniki knew Shouta. He followed me home one day (the idiot. I told him not to) and almost got killed (in spirit form) by aniki, who thought that Shouta was an evil spirit who's trying to possesses me. From that on, they introduced each other. Although aniki said that it's not a very witty idea for a spirit to stay in Ningenkai for a long period, he approved it since Shouta's intentions were pure. But aniki puts Shouta a limit until Sayaka graduates from Jr. High, which Shouta yielded. And apparently, Shouta knows about the entire Team Urameshi since they're very famous in the Reikai and Makai.

"Gomen," I say helplessly. "Nothing I can do."

With that he shrinks into his seat and pout with his arms crossed on his chest. "It's not fair." Aw, he's sulking. I should perk him up, shouldn't I? I mean, he's a fan of them and he's not able to meet them, only I am. Maybe I'll even ask aniki to call Yusuke-kun and-

Dammit! Living with aniki changes you to a good person. A _good_ and _considerate_ person. Just like him. What's happening to me? I thought I was the most uninfluenced person ever.

"Look, Shouta. I'm really _really_ sorry. I shouldn't have said I was going to meet them," I tried to comfort him. And I really am sorry. That was not _nice_. "But tell you what, I'll take pictures of them and give them to you. Or... Sayaka." he couldn't even grasp the pictures. Better give them to Sayaka and tell her to put it in his room or something. "And I'll ask aniki to give ya' a chance to meet them some other time."

"Really?" his face's all lit up. It's like I'm giving him his _body_ back. "Thanks, Shuu. You rock, man!" he's at my side now, slapping my back although his hand just sinks through me. I can't feel it, but it still makes me cringe.

"I know. I do rock, don't I?"

Well it seems that living with aniki doesn't make me a modest and down-to-earth person. Thank you, Kami-sama.

* * *

"WOW! You mean, you guys _own_ this place? The whole place? As far as the eye can see?" my jaw dropped. And honestly, it's starting to hurt.

"Well, yes. Genkai-sama inherited this place to us. We were shocked too," aniki give me that kind brotherly smile.

We already arrived at Genkai-sama's temple and climbing the stairs now. Ops, I mean Team Urameshi's temple. The place is very huge. It's full with nature and _youkai_. Aniki told me that since the kekkai between Makai and Ningenkai was destroyed, many youkai are living in Ningenkai, and most of them go here. That explains the weird waves I've been getting. I wonder if I'm able to meet Jin-kun or Touya-kun.

After five minutes of exhaustion, we finally reached the temple door. Finally! I'm just a few meters from meeting them. I can already feel a few reiki and youki.

"Try not to squeal yet. You can do that when Yusuke and Kuwabara-kun start brawling," aniki says. Translation: I know you're excited but try to calm down, okay?

I snort. I know how to be _cool_. That's the point of having a composed brother. You'll get infected with his habits. Aniki opened the _gigantic_ door effortless, and my heart almost stopped.

There they are!

I can see Yusuke-kun on the small banister, smoking. Although his hair's not gelled back like in aniki's picture, I'm sure that's him. And there's Kuwabara-kun talking to a blue haired youkai (which I assume is Yukina-san) with hearts dancing all over him. There's also two brunette girls chatting away with a bubbly blue haired girl. I immediately know who she is, she's Reikai's ferry girl, Botan-san. But I can't seem to find Hiei-kun anywhere. Is it possible that he's still in Makai? But aniki said that he'll come, either he come or they go to Makai and fetch him. Sensing our presence, Yusuke-kun turns around and meet our gaze.

" Kurama! How are ya'?" he jumps from the banister and is striding in our direction. He looks more cooler in the flesh.

"Hello, Yusuke. I'm very much fine, of course," aniki say. Although he's smiling his usual grin, there's something different about it. All the gentleness in his face are gone, replaced by excitement. It must be hard for a powerful youkai like him to restrain himself in front of humans. He can be spending his time in Makai, like how he did in his Youko days. Killing, fighting or stealing. Anything to make his blood rush with adrenaline, but he renounce all that, for us. He can only show his true self in front of people who wouldn't be afraid of him. People who are like him.

"Is that him, your bro?"

"Yes. This is _Shuichi_." when he said my name, I swear I heard a faint snide. And my theory's got strengthen when he and Yusuke-kun looks each other in a _very_ suspicious glare. What are they planning?

Yusuke-kun's grin got broader. "Hiya, kid. Name's Yusuke. Nice meeting ya'. You're Shuichi too, huh?"

"Y-Yes. I'm Shuichi. Hatanaka Shuichi. It's a pleasure meeting you too, Yusuke-kun," I'm starting to stammer. _Cool it, Shuichi_, I instructed myself.

"No need adding the '-kun', we're all buds here," Yusuke-kun bends down so that he's eye leveled with me. "Kurama got you infected with his polite virus or something?"

Both of them chuckle. I wanted to say, "Yeah. Sadly I'm infected as well." when I'm about to reply, Yusuke-kun grabs my wrist and starts pulling me to his side.

"Hey, Kuwabara! Look, it's Kurama's bro! Our _fan!"_ Yusuke-kun shouts.

_What?_

He wasn't supposed to tell people that. I'm suppose to tell them that. And then I heard aniki laughing behind me. Like, really laughing out loud. I _never_ saw him laughing like that at home. But that's not the issue here.

Kuwabara-kun ceased his flirting and is running in to us. Not only him, but all of them. _All of them. _Dammit! They're surrounding me now, and I know that my face's red. I bet aniki's _enjoying_ this. I throw him cold hard daggers and he just shrugs it off.

Damn. I really need to learn to threaten people better.

"So this is my fan! Hi! I want to introduce myself, but I bet you already know my name! Ha ha ha!" Kuwabara-kun exclaims. I twitch but I manage to compose my face in time he turns back to look at me. He laugh just like Hieta Happousai. The big headed guy who laughs a lot from Nanja Boy. Well, that miniscules Kuwabara-kun's coolness level. One of the brunette then mutters, "Idiot."

"Hello. I'm Shuichi Hatanaka. _Shuichi-nii's_ brother," I seethe at aniki's name. None of them took notice of this.

"Aww, he calls Kurama Shuichi-nii! How adorable!" Botan-san shrieks. "I'm Botan. Nice to meet you, Shuichi," she salutes me.

"Hello. I'm Keiko Yukimura. I'm-" before she can finish Botan-san quickly says, "Yusuke's girlfriend!" Keiko-san's face flushes. Botan-san was laughing until she saw Yusuke-kun glaring at her.

"I'm Shizuru. Idiot's sister," the other brunette says. She's kinda pretty. I can't believe she's Kuwabara-kun's sister. Then she bends down and whispers at me. "I don't believe I'm related to him as well," then she winks at me. _What the hell?_

She can read minds too? Aniki did told me that Kuwabara-kun's sister have a lot better supernatural sense than Kuwabara-kun but I didn't thought this better.

"C'mon. Let's go inside. It's almost dark. Chu and the others will come eventually," Botan-san say. And with that, we enter the grand temple.

* * *

Everyone have arrived. I couldn't believe my luck. Most of the Makai Tournament fighters are here. Jin-kun, Touya-kun, Chu-kun, Rinku-kun, Suzuki-kun, Shishiwakamaru-kun and even Natsume-san and Sasuga-san(Rinku's girlfriend from the Makai Tournament) are here too. Oh, and Hiei-kun already arrived as well. I only knew it when I sensed an anonymous youki in the place. Man, I'm getting good in this reiki stuff. But I didn't carried out my introduction to Hiei-kun plan. I want to marry first before I go to Reikai.

Everyone had gather in their seats, talking to each other. The girls are talking to the girls and same goes for the boys (but they seemed to be betting or something). Me? I'm unfortunately with the girls. They're asking me how our family cope after knowing the truth about aniki. I told them about it, careful not to let anything aniki wanted to be a secret divulged. Then it comes to how I reacted when I knew about Kurama. Even if he's a little far apart from us, I know he's listening. The stalker.

I turn around to meet his gaze and adds through a fake smile and a set of clenching teeth, "Of course I didn't knew that my _aniki_ was a youkai. But I didn't care, he's still my _aniki_ and I _love_ him. Truthfully, I don't think that I deserved him as a brother. What do you think, ai-aniki?"The girls are confused by my behavior but I let them be. I'm still pissed with him.

Aniki, playing suit, mimicked my tone. "Oh, no. I think that I am the one who doesn't deserved you. You and our parents have been too benevolent and generous towards me. I'm just a youkai in reality."

"But compared to some humans, you're much more honorable. You live to protect, not to slaughter. You even sacrificed your life for Kaa-san's."

"I think you've forgotten that I still kill for my own amusement."

"But you kill _youkai_."

"True. But I did once killed a boy and a man," his tone calm and composed. Like he was talking about candy other than bloodshed. Everyone's starting to look at us now. Even Hiei-kun finally turn from his window to observe.

"The boy was revived, didn't he?" my tone's getting higher. In any time, I might snap.

"Yes, but the matter of how I killed him was ruthless. Too ruthless."

"But he's the bad guy! He's supposed to be killed!" I blurt. I'm on my feet now. I give aniki electric glares and he did the same except that he's wearing his I-win mask. Bastard. It might seem like I lost but I'm not done yet. There's no way I'm losing to him. I'm trying to correct my breathing.

Ting, ting, ting!

Time for Round Two.

* * *

"I think his brain's fried. Hey, laddie. You alright?" I hear a gruff voice say. Probably Chu-kun's. Is it talking to me? I open my eyes to see everyone's staring at me minus aniki and Hiei. My head is somehow spinning. Why am I laying on my back?

"He's conscious! I told you we didn't need to call the ambulance," Botan-san says to Yukina-san.

"How are ya' feeling?" Jin-kun asks.

I sit up, gesturing with my hand to tell them to back it up a little. "Fine, I guess. Em, what happened?"

"It was the most hilarious thing we ever saw!" Yusuke-kun exclaim. "You and Kurama were starting on Round Two and after a few minutes, you stopped. We thought you gave up, but you were moving back and fro," Yusuke-kun is trying to suppress his laugh unsuccessfully. "Wahahahaha!"

"The next thing we saw was that you fainted. Kurama said that maybe you've got migraine," Touya-kun says, finishing Yusuke-kun's sentence. Kuwabara-kun and Chu-kun are booming with laughter now. Natsume-san thrust Chu-kun to tell him to stop, but fail to stay silent herself. Botan-san and the other girls are talking to each other about how I looked when fainted, and then set out a paragraph of laughter. Rinku-kun and Sasuga-san are on their backs, laughing. Suzuki-kun had left a while ago to the kitchen. Shihiwakamaru-kun, well, he's looking callous. At least he didn't laugh.

"Me? Fainted from migraine? No way!" I deny it, my face red with embarrassment. There's no way I'm that weak.

"Yes way. Kurama had the whole thing recorded in your camera. See it for yourself," Rinku-kun give me my camera. And true enough, on the screen is me, shouting to aniki. A few moments later, I see myself pale and then pulled by gravity to the ground. Embarrassment replaced by fury, I demand, "Where is _he_?"

"Kurama's outside with Hiei. Here, drink this. Your headache will get better," Suzuki-kun says, appearing beside me and I almost jump of fright. I take the transparent concoction and start looking at it with doubt. I wonder what nasty-ass stuffs he puts in it.

Noticing my doubt, Suzuki-kun says with an insulted tone, "It's water. Maybe your head needs some oxygen from all the debating."

Good, now I pissed the beautiful -psycho- Suzuki. Better fix it or else he'll use his Sphere of Darkness or heck and send me to Makai or someplace. Maybe he'll send me to Pluto and I'll die without retribution.

"Oh, sorry. I think my head does need a little oxygen," I say. Gulping the water, I feel better already. I get up and stride to the door. But before I get far, Touya-kun puts his hand on my shoulder.

"You better don't disturb them," he whispers so only I can hear. "I'm sure you can feel the difference in Kurama's youki."

Now when he say it, it does feel different. Usually he conceals his youki, but now he's letting some of it go. I wonder what are they doing that makes aniki let out his youki.

"I'll just take a pip," I assure Touya-kun. He looks very concerned. I slowly tiptoe to the door and gently ease the door open, careful not to make any noise. And I wished I hadn't.

There under the tree, aniki and Hiei-kun stand in front of each other. I dunno why, but I have the impression that both of them are mad. Hiei-kun give aniki one of his popular death glares, with his teeth clenching. If I were aniki, I would have smouldered.

Aniki is much more terrifying. His eyes, a pair of gold orbs with his hair shimmer with silver makes me think again about his stories back when he was a thieve. A killer. Chills go down my spine. Hiei-kun opens his mouth and mutters something. Damn human ears. I can't hear what he's saying.

Right, what did aniki said? _'Concentrate your reiki in one place you're most familiar with. And for starters, it's always the palm.'_ Okay, done that, then what? Umm... _'Slowly, move it to the place you desire. For example, if you transfer it to your ear, you're range of hearing will broad, depends on the amount of reiki one posesses. For you, Shuichi, you'll be able to hear whispers a meter from where you are.'_ Okay, slowly move it to the ear. So far so good. Yes! I can finally hear what Hiei-kun's saying. _'After that, you just have to keep maintaining your reiki. Relaxing will help you concentrate better.'_

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale.

"You're an idiot if you do it Kurama. You of all people know the consequences" Hiei-kun says in a mere whisper.

"Reading someone's mind against their will is considered illegal here," aniki retort. No kindness in his voice now.

"Like doing the technique isn't. You know Koenma prohibited it." Technique? What technique?

"I already have his consent." What technique requires Koenma's approve?

"Do you have _Shuichi Minamino's_ consent of killing yourself? Both your soul and his would perish if it wasn't successful. You might have your energy from the past, but not fully. Even if you do, it still wouldn't be enough to guarantee that you'll get out of it alive."

"Don't burden yourself with meaningless facts. You should have realized by now that I have countless ways to escape death."

"I see you already made up your mind." Hiei-kun resigned with defeat. "Just don't die."

After that aniki turned back to the kind person everyone thought. "Thank you, Hiei." They talk about something else, but I stopped hearing a moment ago. I'm not relaxed anymore. I can't relax. Aniki's going to do some kind of forbidden technique that might _kill_ him.

I turn and amble to the group again. Keiko-san asked me why I'm pale, but I just shook my head. I don't want to talk to anyone right now. I need to register this. I need to think about it. I sit on the corner pretending to be asleep. I can hear Yukina-san volunteering herself to get me a blanket. After a few minutes, I can feel warmth surrounding me. I manage to relax a little, but not quite.

What is wrong with him? There shouldn't be any secrets between us anymore. He'd agreed to the term. He violated ground rule 'd'. Didn't he care about us anymore? Didn't he thought about Kaa-san anymore? About Tou-san? About me? What if he'll kill himself? Will he inhabit another baby? Will he remember us?

Will he love us again?

When I open my eyes, I'm already on my bed. It take me a few heartbeats to realize that I really fell asleep in the temple. Aniki must have carried- _Aniki! _I stumble on my duvet, but I force myself to stand up and run to his room. In the back of my mind, I pray that he's in his bed, sleeping soundly, but a part of me knows he's not. When I open his door, I gasp.

He's not in here!


	3. Day 2: And Then There Are Two

Before I start, I ask you to put all your knives, daggers, torches, axes, scythes, pistols, shotguns, and anything that is pointy, sharp, dangerous and can hurt me both emotionally and physically to their respective drawers and lock them securely… I repeat, put your weapons down…! I do not want to die before I finish this or my studies… Thank you for your cooperation…

It seems like I haven't updated in years… Sorry.. My laptop crashed (thanks to my little brother) and I'm super busy since it's the end of the semester… I'm really happy that I managed to finish this! I've been waiting to get to this part of the plot…! Unfortunately, updates are gonna be slower from now on… Thank you so much to everyone who read and /or reviewed… And also to everyone who Favorited/ Story Alerted this, demo arigatou gozaimasu..! I will try and thank you personally…

This chapter is for my forever loved sister, **Akire-nee-chan**… She got an account here, 'dweirdizme', so go read her fic, 'Secretly Foxy' people! Especially if you're a Kurama fan-girl… And this chapter is also for that **Anonymous reviewer** who gave me a flame/constructive criticism the first time I published DWL… I followed your advice and I dunno what DWL will turn out if you didn't reviewed… If you're reading this re-write version, please review… I want to know what you think about this re-write… A huge thanks to **IDA-SENSEI**, I just dunno what I'll do without you… This asylum fugitive loves you so much for bearing with her antics and horrible writings… You're the BEST!

To **PiNkBuN17**, I WILL (hopefully) continue with this fic until I'm done… I think it'll be a loss if I don't finish this… Hope with me! And thanks for the compliment for me and my sis… Although she deserves it better since her story's helluva better than mine… To make up for my very late update, I present to you this extra long chapter with a special annex at the end… Can I get a "Yay"…?

**Disclaimer**: Yoshihiro Togashi-sama is THE MAN who owns YYH… I'm THE GIRL who owns the plot and crap…

**Warning**: Mild language, a little OOC, OCs and AU

* * *

**Days without Lies**

"_**When you've got best friends, you're entitled to the most amusing way to insult them and not hurt them because only they understand your words of affections."**_

**Day 2: And Then There Are Two**

**

* * *

**

**Kurama's pov**

It was unusually dark. Even with the moon at its peak, the clouds are always trying to engulf the moon. As if the clouds are a message from Inari, to tell me to cease my intentions. But even death wouldn't stop _us_ now. This technique needs to be done at full moon, that was what the book said.

I was scanning through the collection of books Koenma-sama has in his books pile a few weeks ago and I found an old book. Dated when I was even a hundred of age. It was a book of curses. When the kekkai between the two worlds hasn't existed yet. The time where 'magic', 'curses' and when ningen believed in the existence of youkai. It was a book on a type of exorcism, to make a spirit leaves its host. I was enthralled by it, so I took a few turns about the page. Bored, I was about to close the book when I saw a curse that attracted my attentions.

_**Depicting a curse to exorcize a youkai**_

As expected, the technique was complex. Even the preparation itself was convoluted. And the only thing that it dared promise that it would be agonizing. It consists of an amulet, which needed to be drawn with the blood of the host and the youkai inhabiting the person. I didn't know why I kept on reading the instructions. I couldn't find the will to stop, nor did Youko stop me. At that time, it would be called the first time he and me concurred at the same thing.

_To be separated from each other._

This technique might be our only possibility to have our own life. Our own individual lifes. I could be the perfect _ningen_ my mother had wished, being only Shuichi Minamino, and Youko could be his old youkai self, being only Youko Kurama. We never thought about leaving each other, we accepted it as fate. But now, a chance to alter what was destined.

We wouldn't let this chance slip.

I encountered Koenma-sama, to ask for his assent as to not make the young king mad. He opposed at first, but yielded as he registered the situation carefully. He understands that it is against nature for a human and youkai to live in each other. He did gave his approve but not before giving a lecture on the presumed consequences of the technique. There was something about me or Youko losing a part of our body, or the technique only worked half way that resulted on our bodies merged together like Siamese twins. Although he was laughing, I can sense a faint worry in his chuckles. It is of no use lying to a liar.

I pushed myself through the encroaching foliage with leaves slapping my face. A few minutes through the damp bush I finally arrived at a small clearing. It was bare except for a cave on my right. Wasting no time, I disappear in the yawning cave mouth. Inside, it was pitch black but my youkai eyes promptly get used to the darkness. I take out a blade of grass I picked up earlier and transferred my youki in it. A second later it was sharper than a sword. In a swing I make a fresh cut on my wrist and I kneel. I puddle my blood and instantly I start writing my name on the floor.

_Shuichi Minamino_

I wrote it on the left side. Before I knew it, my hair was already a shade of silver.

**Youko's pov**

I make a cut on my left wrist and I puddle my blood beside Kurama's. I write my name on the right side and I draw the amulet in between making sure that I draw every detail. I mutter a phrase of unintelligent words I memorized from the book and the amulet started glowing. It's starting to work. Then Shuichi's name starts to glow followed by my name. I take a deep breath and composed myself. I can feel an anonymous energy surrounding me, and I'm certain that the technique was going like planned. I inhale and the stench from the energy filled my too sensitive nostrils. It smells like rotten meat with the addition essence of vomit.

Then I feel a shock goes through my chest. It was so painful, it even makes breathing a much harder task than thinking. It feels like thousands, no, _millions_ of swords were stabbing me. Every part of my body hurts and I choked a mouthful of blood. I grasped my chest hoping that the pain will subside although I knew it's futile. I was pulled by gravity. My legs didn't have enough energy anymore to support me. I dug my nails in the ground trying to distract myself from the pain but to no avail.

"Aghhhhh!"

**Youko's pov**

Ow, it hurts. It felt like the time I fought with that damned hunter. I opened my eyes, but the only thing I can witness was the dark. I tried moving my hand to push me up, but it won't work. Ah, I'm feeling more in pain than earlier. The curse better worked for me to be this fragile and weak. I moved my hand near myself to see if there's something of use.

My hand touched on something like a stick. But it feels like skin. It's a hand. But who's? I opened my eyes again to see who the hand belongs to and I saw red locks. Red locks?

It's Kurama!

He's unconscious and he seemed to be in so much pain. Sweats were raining his face and he's panting. His youki wasn't that high as well. If this keeps up, he'll use up all his youki just to keep himself alive. I tried standing up again. I almost tripped and my body hurts so much but I compelled myself to stand up. I managed to get on my feet but I wobbled. I'm not faring so well myself. My youki's at the limit and my energy were finished with doing the curse. I lean on the cave's wall to support me and to take the surroundings in.

I checked my own conditions first. My eyes were functioning. Same goes to my other senses. I counted my hands and feet and their fingers. Two arms, two feet, ten fingers, ten toes. Stomach, guts, limbs; check. I looked for some water or something that might reflect, but none. Damn, I hope my face's okay.

We're still in the same cave and the rotten smell isn't here anymore. Good thing too because if the smell's still here I'm sure both of us were to die of oxygen deprived. The amulet isn't here anymore as well. Along with my name and Kurama's. Hm, does that signs that the curse was successful? Oh, Kurama!

Kurama's lying near me with all his features in place. His hair's still rose red, his skin still fair. His face's fine, body too, nothing's missing. Good. His wheezing interrupted my relief air. I walked to his direction and tried to pull him up. I gripped his arms tighter with his body on me. His weight pulled me down but I tried not to be beaten by it. I slipped and both of us fall down flat on the face. I pulled him again and again until I managed to make him standing. Now it's my turn to pant. The last bit of my energy was used to pull Kurama up and now I got none left.

My eyelids were getting heavy. Dammit! If I don't do something, both of us will die and all the trouble to do this curse would be pointless. My legs were starting to wobble and we're slipping back to the ground. I'm starting to lose consciousness. If that happens...

_No way!_

There's no way I'll let this be the end of me. The King of Thieves do _not_ die in a dump like this. I'm not going to die here and neither does Kurama. I'm the one's responsible for this idiot, and I'm gonna send him back home. We promised not to let Kaa-san or Shuu-toutou or Tou-san worry about us anymore and I'm keeping that promise.

I took a step and another. I was actually walking. I carried Shuichi to the mouth of the cave and I stopped a few moments to catch my breath before continuing.

After carrying my reincarnation for more than half an hour, we finally reached the park near our house.

To make things from bad to worse, my legs were starting to lose grip on the ground and both of us fell on the ground for the countless time today. I hope my face doesn't get a scratch. When I tried to get up, my body doesn't listen to me. I guess I'm all out of energy now. Even the slightest movement hurts me now. I looked at Kurama.

"Sorry, kid. I tried," I mumbled to him. At least when I die, Kurama wouldn't yell at me for causing his death. "Sorry Kaa-san, I'm not able to keep my promise. Thank you for everything you've done for me. Otou-san, we haven't known each other for long, but I wouldn't find any other person that's worthy of Kaa-san other than you." I inhaled for the last of my will. "Shuu-toutou. I know I've promised that I'll train you but it looked like you have to learn on your own." Before I passed out I thought saw a dark figure in front of me.

**Kurama's pov**

The incessant rays on my face woke me up. I opened my eyes to see a familiar room. I'm in my room. And I'm on my bed. How did I get here? Did Youko carry me all the way home? My head ached when last night's events flooded in my brain. I can still remember we did the curse and my body hurts so much I thought I was dying. I remembered Youko said something to me but I couldn't hear it. That was it. That's all I remembered. Does that mean that the curse went perfectly? Did Youko and I get separated? I got up to search for Youko and realized that there's something lying on the bed beside me.

_It's Youko._

What? He's sleeping beside me. I was too shocked to do anything for a few minutes. I calmed myself and tried to take the situation in. We've been sleeping on the _same_ bed, side by side. That means I've been _sleeping_ with _HIM_ the whole night. With him! _**HIM!**_ A guy! I shuddered and tried not to think about it and just forget it. Trying to get some explanations, I thrust him on the shoulder.

"Hey, wake up," I said with slight annoyance.

"Zzz..."

"Wake up," I thrust him much harder.

"Zzz..."

As a last resort, I kicked him off the bed and he landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"The hell–Why'd you do that for?" he retorted at me while rubbing the back of his head.

"To wake you up."

"Is that a way to treat to someone who carried you all the way home?"

"It certainly is a way to treat you."

"Don't you have school?" he changed the subject. I didn't reply but I just glare at him and he mimicked me.

He was about to say something when the door opened and produced Kaa-san and Otou-san with weapons in their hand. I say weapons but they're just a spatula and a broom.

"Shuichi! Are you alright? I heard something-" Kaa-san stopped midway when she acknowledged Youko on the floor. He raised his right hand and said "Mornin' Kaa-san... Otou-san." Both of them were awe-strucked when they heard him talked. They didn't move an inch due from the shock. I just hope he didn't give them heart attacks. I'm keeping my phone near, just in case I need to call the ambulance. Minutes after that, Otou-san regained conciseness and started attacking Youko with his broom.

"Go away you thieve! Get away from my son! And how dare you call me and my wife your parents!" he yelled. Kaa-san on the other hand ran towards me and hugged me in a protective way.

"Did that _transvestite_ thieve did anything to you, Shuichi?" she asked me affectionately while I just watched Otou-san _trying_ to hit Youko. Of course it was a futile attempt since Youko managed to avoid all his attacks (which is, to be honest, kind of pathetic) with ease. Youko was neither enjoying himself nor annoyed for being mistaken for a thieve (which is true).

"Kaa-san, he's not a thie... trying to rob me. He's-" I was cut off by her motherly condolences.

"Don't worry, Shuichi dear! You need not to be frightened anymore. Your brave father will rid us of him. Go honey!" it was beyond me how Otou-san managed to wink at us and made a thumbs up while swinging the broom. My intuition told me that both of them were already prepared for this day. I guess it had been their dream to protect Shuu-toutou and me.

"What were you trying to do with my son you _gay thief_?" Youko and I twitched to that. They did not only thought that he's a thieve, but also a _transvestite_ and a _gay_? Did they thought that Youko was trying to do _something_ to- ... I shuddered.

"Stop thinking about it, idiot!" Youko yelled at me. He was also trying his hardest to _not_ think about it.

"How dare you call my son idiot! Take this!"

Otou-san swung the broom to hit Youko's left side but he back flipped on my desk. He balanced himself on both hands and spun his legs in a circle, making Otou-san's lose his grip on the broom and it flied to the air. The broom landed on Youko's hand and he pointed it to Otou-san. Otou-san had a scared expression on his face but there's something on his face that's saying he won't give up on this fight.

"Don't be intimidated by his beautiful appearances and speed, dear! I know you can defeat him!" more encouragements came from Kaa-san which I think is not an appropriate thing to do because all of us know that Otou-san has no chance of winning with an opponent like Youko. 0.01% the least.

Otou-san gripped his hands and his eyes started to burn with determination. And then he... knelt on his knees?

"Forgive me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Show me mercy!"

_What?_

I thought he was about to fight back although he's obviously out both Kaa-san's and my safety. For _his_ pride. I thought he was supposed to be the brave father. And now he's kneeling and apologizing to the supposed enemy. I anticipated too much of him. Kaa-san was also gobsmacked.

"Now. Let _us_ explain. I advise you to not fret or panic. Or else this broom will be introduced with your head," Youko said a little too smugly. "You too," he gestured to Kaa-san. Kaa-san swiftly took a seat beside Otou-san on the floor.

Then I heard some noises of something fell from Shuu-toutou's room and a door slammed. I bet all the noises woke him up. His footsteps indicated that he's running to our room. When he reached our door frame and saw Youko and me, his eyes were suddenly filled with tears. He ran and hugged me. I was surprised by his reactions so I haven't thought about a response.

"Uwa! Nii-chan..! I thought... I thought that you're gonna die and..." he blew his nose on my sleeves. "...you'll never come back! Uwaa!"

Shuu-toutou kept on crying and sniffling on me but stopped when he saw Youko sitting on my desk in a regal way while pointing a broom at Otou-san.

"Why are you pointing a broom to Tou-san and Kaa-san, Youko-nii?" Shuu-toutou inquired to Youko. Our parents gasped.

"H-he-he's _Youko Kurama_? The youkai that lived in Shuichi?" Otou-san asked Kaa-san while pointing to Youko with a pale face. Kaa-san just shook her head. I think she's going to faint anytime soon.

Youko jumped down from the desk and let the broom lean on the wall. He gestured for Kaa-san and Otou-san to sit on the bed. "I'm sorry for my obnoxious attitude earlier. But that's the only way I can get you to calm down."

"Is what Shuu-chan said was true? That you're Youko Kurama?" Kaa-san asked. We can already hear her voice tremble. Otou-san was also trembling. Youko took my chair from the desk and put it in front of the bed; where we were sitting. I stood up and went to Youko's side. Kaa-san tried to stop me but Shuu-toutou reassured her not to.

"Yes. I'm Youko Kurama. The youkai that inhabited Shuuichi's body for the past 17 years. But now, we're seperated."

"How? Shuichi explained that you both shared the same soul. But now..." Kaa-san stopped to think it all back but she only made herself more confused.

"It's because of that technique right? The one you talked with Hiei-kun! The one that would've killed you," Shuu-toutou exclaimed. Youko and I were surprised that he knew because we didn't sensed anyone near when we were talking about it with Hiei. Youko stood up and walked to Shuu-toutou's direction.

He patted Shuu-toutou's head. "Your control over your reiki's gotten very good. You were able to use it on your ears. Good job, Shuu," he said with a smile. "Yes. We used that technique. But it was actually a curse. The curse is a way to exorcise a youkai that inhabited a human. Although it's different in our case, but it's basically the same thing. We did the curse last night, at a cave far away from here."

"If it's a curse, then what's the catch? In curses, they always have a catch," Otou-san let us hear his thoughts. So he _was_ listening.

"Shuichi had told you about energy classes, correct? At the Makai Tournament, I'm in S+ class and Shuichi's in S- class. But due to the curse, our energies were assuaged. Approximately, I'm mostly in A+ class and Shuichi's in B- class."

"I still don't understand. If you two were sharing a soul, so is the soul now half-half? One's with Youko-nii and one's with Shuichi-nii?" Shuu-toutou inquired. It was amazing how our family is catching up with this.

"... Yes. Our soul is now in half. That means both of us are still connected in ways more than one. For example, if my soul is weaken so does Shuichi's. Also, if Shuichi is sick, I'll also be sick. Our powers are still the same, though. I have the ability to control plants and Shuichi can still control plants too."

"But there's still something I don't understand," Otou-san rubbed his hand on his chin. "If you're a kitsune, where's your tail and kitsune ears?"

"Oh, honey! You're so slow sometimes," Kaa-san waved her hand in front of him. "In legends, kitsune are said to be able to take on human form. Is that what you did Youko?"

"Yes," Youko answered while walking towards Otou-san. "I can even change to you, Otou-san."

By now he's already changed his appearances to match with those of Otou-san's. Otou-san and Kaa-san was startled to see this while Shuu-toutou just stared with amazement. Kaa-san held out her hand and pinched Youko's (who is still appearing as Otou-san) cheek to convince herself. When it's certain to them that Youko was indeed real, their mouths automatically changed to 'O' shapes. I chuckled.

"Would you like to see my real form?" he asked them. The three of them nodded in unison. _Don't_, I told Youko mentally but he blocked me out. A second later the room was filled with smoke and his youki. Kaa-san was clutching to Otou-san and he mirrored her. Although it's youki, normal ningen are also able to detect it if much youki was released. Especially if it's an A class youki. Shuu-toutou was wincing. Cold sweats were covering his body and his eyes looked very wary. I gripped his shoulder to soothe him but it didn't do much.

He must've been really petrified. He was never exposed with a high class youki before. I always control my youki when I'm around him as well. I dissuaded him, but did Youko listen? But I guess he would want to make amends from now on.

The smoke dissipated and there he is, imposing. The King of Thieves himself, Youko Kurama. A cold sweat slipped down my face. Regardless of how many times I had changed to him in the past, I still feel intimidated by him. This powerful youkai had inhabited me for the past years and the only thing that was restraining him was me. But now, he's free. He can do anything he desired. If it hadn't been for Kaa-san, he would be destroying the world at best and I don't know if I can stop him.

My family were silent in incredulous. They were only able to stare at him. Youko' head flicked and he padded over to our direction. He made no noise and every step made the room one Celsius lower. Shuu-toutou shivered faster now, if that was possible. Youko just stood in front of them, with his eyes closed and motionless. None of us moved.

A few moments passed and Kaa-san was the one who broke the tension. Youko's eyes flickered when he sensed her movement. She stood a centimeter from him. Then she tip toed and pinched him again. He was far too tall for her. Youko twitched but slowly and carefully took Kaa-san's hand and smiled.

"Could you not do that again, Kaa-san?"

"I can't help it. You're just too beautiful; I just had to prove to myself that you're not imaginary. And… _so_ _tall_. Does every youkai heighted seven feets?" she said, smiling. Shuu-tutou and Otou-san finally relaxed. Youko lifted Kaa-san up.

"Only the ones that are 4000 years old and older," he explained. She chuckled and signaled him to put her down. Otou-san also faced him. Shuu-toutou finally turned back to normal and bounced to him. "Wow, Youko-nii! You look like a body builder. Are all those muscles?"

"You bet they are," Youko grabbed him in the waist and put him on his shoulders. All of us giggled seeing the sight of them.

"Youko-nii, huh?" Otou-san mused. He and Kaa-san looked at each other with grins. "Welcome to the family, Youko," he declared.

Youko, Shuu-toutou and me faltered.

"Now we have three handsome sons. I guess Youko living in Shuichi's body isn't such a bad thing isn't it, Kazuya?" Kaa-san said and Otou-san nodded in consent.

"Seriously? Youko-nii can stay here?" Shuu-toutou almost yelled.

"As long as he's unobtrusive, it's fine by us. Can I pat your ears dear? They're irresistibly cute!" Youko crouched with Shuu-toutou still on his shoulders. They were surrounding Youko but I just stood there.

Youko's living with us? I did not _expect_ that.

* * *

Hana: Mwahahaha! I've finally separated them…! *more crackling*

Youko: Yes, you're indeed a cruel being.

Hana: Aw, don't call me like that You-chan! It's easier doing this fic with you two like that... And note that I have Youko calling Shuichi 'Kurama'… If other people can call him Kurama than Youko can call him that too, dammit!

Youko: Yes, yes.. Back to the main agenda. I noticed that you wrote Kaa-san calling me a '_transvestite'_.

Hana: Before you kill me, I want to say that it is _not_ my fault. It was my friend's. We were talking about the comment for your picture who asked if you were male or female. We were laughing for the commenter's lack of anime knowledge and my friend randomly said, "No, he's a sissy." See? I'm innocent. I even smacked her on the shoulder for saying that. I did you a favor there kitsune. *neko eyes and chibi face*

Youko: You look like Puss In Boots from Shriek.

Hana: … Maybe I should torture you more…

Youko: Kurama! Finish this before she manages to do damage to _my_ face- I mean to us!

Kurama: *sighs* Hana really needs reviews and ideas to make this fic more read-worthy. Trust me, she reads them every day and she smiled a very big grin afterwards. It got scary that she even laughs maniacally.

Hana: Oh and I wonder if anyone can guess which part of the Sayonara Bye Bye song that Shuu hummed (or should it be hn-ing) in the last chapter… Did you guess it..? Did ya'..? Did ya'..? I hope so… Okay! On with the annex! I hope this chapter and annex melted your rage towards me…

Kurama: And it is in Kaa-san's pov.

* * *

**Special Day: A Diamond in the Rags**

Bright rays streaked across the sky, bouncing everywhere and at the end of the spectrum, rainbows danced. The rays that radiated through me felt warm and nice, soothing my forty-something body. It made me feel younger, or rather; it reminded me of my younger days. I arrived at my destination, Togakushi Shrine. I smiled at the thousand year old architecture. This is the place I used to spend my childhood, my teenage days and the place where I met _him_.

I stepped in the shrine and I felt like I had been transferred to another dimension. The atmosphere was calm and peaceful. A quiet breeze greeted me, making my hair go with the wind. I inhaled. The air doesn't even felt like they were polluted. Only in Togakushi Shrine where the air is like this.

Impatience and anxious filled me as I remembered where I am. I always feel like that when I'm visiting _him_.

I caught sight of an old man with a broom, sweeping the already spotless shrine. That is Monou-dono, the high priest of the shrine. I should ask him how he always kept his shrine so clean. He noticed me and smiled an invisible smile under his growing mustache. I smiled at him and went near him under the sakura tree. I bowed before the man chastely.

"Ho, ho, ho. Special things must be happening in the Minamino residence. This is your third visit this month, Shiori," his voice was raspy, but it contained kindness.

"Your guesses are always accurate, Monou-dono," I chuckled. Knowing the man, I bet he had a dream about me visiting today.

"And my, you're looking very lovely today. Not that you aren't, child."

I blushed. I did put on a thin layer of make-up before leaving the house and I did dressed myself, since I thought that would make _him_ happy. Maybe I put on too much. Then I remembered how I looked in the mirror this morning. I looked like I was dressing for a tea party instead of going to a shrine. I started to head towards the toilet to wash some of the make-up off, but Monou-dono stopped me.

"Dear, it's no issue to dress for someone you love. I'm sure he'll be happy seeing you out from the usual black dress."

"Where's Kotori-chan and Fuuma-chan, Monou-dono?" I asked, changing the subject. Both of them are wonderful children despite the way their parents died. It was tragic. Their father was the one who used to be the high priest. It was assumed that Fuuma-chan would be the next high priest, but he declined. Monou-dono is their grandfather. I always envy them. They don't seem to be affected at all by their parent's death. I wish I was more like them. They are the pride of the shrine, but I am proud to say that Shuichi is better.

"Oh child, did you forget that today's Thursday? They're off to school with Kamui. And I thought I was supposed to be the one with memory loss," he laughed and my face redden.

"I-I think I should go now, Monou-dono. My flowers might wilt," I gestured to my bouquet of flowers in my hands. I only picked them this morning from the garden.

"And you brought _his_ favorites," he touched a rose and smelled it. There are roses, lilies and rape blossoms. I was the one that told Shuichi to plant those flowers in the garden. "Your son must've planted them. Oh that son of yours is an excellent young man! You should bring him here more often. I haven't seen the young man since he was just a kid. He could help with the shrine's garden. Forgive me, but how many children do you have again, Shiori dear?"

"Tw- no, I have three sons."

"Three? Ne, when did you get pregnant? Bring them here for your next visit! I want to meet them."

"I will. Excuse me," I bowed again and I headed to the back of the shrine. I walked past some rows of tombstones and I stopped at the last row, second from the left. I sat down and placed the flowers and my stuffs down.

_Minamino Shiki_

That is what was engraved on the plate. Minamino Shiki, my late husband.

I bowed and whispered, "I'm here, otto." (**A/N:** 'otto' means husband) Mind you, not everyone talks to tombstones. I drew an incense sticks from a box in my purse and light it. I put it in between my palms and muttered my prayers for him. After I finished my prayers, I put the stick in the incense pot in front of his plate.

"I brought you flowers. They're all from the garden. Shuichi did a marvelous job planting them."

I wanted to say more, to tell him the reason for my being there, but the leaves that were scattered across his grave made me uncomfortable. As a mother, it had been my work to always clean up. I started picking up the leaves from his grave and tossed them in the trash bin. Upon washing my hands, I laughed.

I had always been a hygienic person ever since I was a child, product from my mother's stern house rules, and Shiki often teases me about it. I remembered a day when we were on a date, after we were engaged, he took me to a restaurant. The table was dirty and the plates and leftovers from the prior customer were yet to be collected. I had been restraining myself but my hygienic nature compelled me to clean it. In the end, I helped the waiter to clean our table, gaining weird glances from other customers.

"You didn't need to do that, you know. People are giving us weird looks," he said but only to hide a few snickers and laughs. I blushed and bowed my head. I know he had intended that as a joke, but in my head, I was wondering whether I embarrassed him or whether behind all his demeanor, he was actually mad at me. Our first date and I ruined it. I squirmed in my seat and I closed my eyes tightly. I was afraid to see his eyes.

When I opened my eyes, I saw him squatting beside me, with a concerned expression on his face. I jumped in shock and he grabbed my wrist. "Let's go somewhere else," he said, pulling me to the door.

"Eh? But, Shiki, the food…?"

"We're _not_ going there again. That place makes you sad."

"I'm sorry…" I muttered under my breath. He stopped and I look up to him.

"Don't worry, Shiori. I only brought you there because you seemed like someone that goes to those kind of fancy restaurants. Besides, if we go there ever again, I bet we'll get kicked out for ordering and run!" he laughed. I always liked his laughs, it was full with life and it calms me. I laughed with him. He looked at me, pulled me near him and he untied my hair band.

"You looked better with your hair down," he commented while tugging my hair. I can feel all the heat going to my cheeks but I didn't paid attention to it. I only paid attention to the beating of his heart. It was the most beautiful melody.

A tear threatened to fall down, but I wiped it before it falls. Shiki never approved of me crying. I closed the pipe and reached Shiki's grave.

"You know, yesterday Shuichi got separated with Youko. I almost yelled at them because Shuu said that the technique they used might kill them, but I didn't. Shuichi's old enough to decide things by himself and Youko's even older than our ancestors," I chuckled before resuming. "At first I thought that he might look like Shuichi, but it turns out that he looked… much like _you_. I couldn't even believe it myself. I even pinched him on the cheeks to make sure that I'm not dreaming. I wished you were here to see him. I want to compare the two of you," I sighed. If I were to tell Shiki everything, I wouldn't be done in less than a week.

I touched his name, carved on the granite. "You were right all along, Shiki. Shuichi isn't a normal child, he's special. When you told me about that, years ago, I didn't quite believe it. I only thought of him as perfect. Now I can finally see the proof of your words. You were always able to see the truth behind everything. Maybe you even knew that he had a youkai living in him the first time you cradled him. You knew, didn't you…?" tears were streaming down my cheeks now. I tried wiping them, but they won't stop flowing. They didn't stop.

Stop it. _Stop_. Shiki will be mad. Shiki never liked me crying. But there isn't anyone to comfort me anymore. Shiki isn't here.

"Sorr… Sorry… I'm so sorry, Shiki."

_He's gone now._

"Kaa-san?"

I stopped sobbing. It sounded like Shiki's voice. But why would he be calling me "Kaa-san?" I looked up and saw Youko. His face was full with sweat and his eyes, was that worry I saw? I wanted to say his name, asking what is he doing here, but my voice wouldn't came. He squatted and took out a handkerchief from my purse. When did I put a handkerchief in my purse? He smiled and wiped my tears.

"I put this in your purse this morning before you went out… Just in case. And I was right," he stated. He must have put it in when I was taking my keys because when I checked on him, he was sleeping. I took the handkerchief and wiped my tears. I'm not going to look fragile in front of my _own_ son. That would be a bad example.

"What are you doing here, Youko?"

"Looking for you of course! You were late than usual so I thought something might happened to you," he sat down beside me, legs crossed.

I was silent. I didn't know what to do. When I said I wanted Shiki to meet with Youko, I didn't mean this early. He bowed and took out an incense stick from the box. He lighted it and made some prayers. I didn't heard what he said clearly, but I think I caught something in the line, "I'm lucky to met Kaa-san and you." After that, he put it on the incense pot.

"Hello, oton. (**A/N**: oton also means father) I'm Youko. The one you sensed when Shuichi was three."

"He sensed you..? But- how?" Did Shiki really knew Youko was in Shuichi's body? But he…

"He had reiki. He talked to me through Shuichi. It was actually… his last will before he died. Maybe he got a feeling that he was going to die and he told me his will. He said,

_I want you to protect Shiori and Shuichi. I know they might not be your concerns, but they're my concerns. I don't think I'm going be with them for long… I know you might leave after you have your youki back but I want you to live your life as Shuichi to the fullest. Who knows, you might like it... Being human. And tell Shiori, I love her and I'm sorry. Only tell her this when you think it's the right time, youkai._

That's what he said. I didn't care about it much when he said it, but I kept it in mind. So that when I… leave, I can write it to you. But I'm not going to leave anytime soon!" Youko put his hands up in a defensive way. "I can assure that. And as usual, he was right. I liked being a human. That's why I decided to do the technique. So that I can have my own life as a human. I don't think that it was fair to steal Kurama's life that. And I told him that I'm sick of lying to you anymore. I was the one who put his torn clothing in your room, to trap him into confessing."

We were silent for a long time and we just watched Shiki's plate. I was astonished to how much Shiki had done for our family, for me. If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't have known the truth about Shuichi, I wouldn't have met Kazuya and Shuu, and most importantly, I wouldn't have this time with Youko. He bowed again, said "Thank you for everything, oton." and he sat up. I saw him handing me his hand, while smiling and it astound me how he looked so much like Shiki. But this isn't Shiki, this is my son, Youko. I took his hand and dust off some dirt from my dress. Youko handed me my purse and I asked him, "Where did you find the handkerchief, Youko? It looked like Shiki's. I thought I lost them in the move."

"Oh, that? I just bought a new one that looked exactly like the one oton had. I tried finding them, but the only thing I found was your old school uniform and a picture of you and oton. If I wasn't mistaken, it was taken in front of a ramen shop. Is that a picture from your date?" he turned his head towards me.

I blushed for the countless time today. Shiki took me to the ramen shop after we run from the restaurant. It was the first time I didn't bother cleaning up messes. It was the first time I realized how beautiful Shiki is.

"Really? Tell me how it goes, Kaa-san. Did he choose the place or you did? Did he kissed you or _you_ kissed him?"

Eventually, I end up telling how the rest of my date goes (and my other dates) to Youko all the way home. I wonder if the human appearance he took was based on Shiki to make me happy. If it is his intention, it did make me happy.

I am lucky to be surrounded and cared by such caring and beautiful men.

Meanwhile…

"Eh, isn't that Shiori-san?" Kotori-chan asked her two companions, her brother and her crush.

"Yeah. But who's that guy beside her?" Fuuma-chan mused.

"Must be her new boyfriend," Kamui concluded with a bored tone. Fuuma and Kotori started to laugh as they thought it was a joke but their laugh awkwardly descended, as they find that Kamui isn't laughing as well and they realized that he _was not_ joking.

Shiori-san was pretty close to the guy and they seemed to be talking about a date. They changed glances and Kotori-chan depressingly said, "Shiori-san is dating another man, and it is not Hatanaka-kun."

* * *

Hana: How was it? Sorry if it sucked, but that's the best I can think without a draft. And since I'm too lazy to do a draft, I just go with the flow… Hahaha… Kotori, Fuuma and Kamui are crossovers from X/1999 and it doesn't have anything to do with the plot, I just felt like writing them. And to all X/1999 fan, sorry if they seemed OOC! I hadn't read the manga very far yet. And I _don't know_ if they have a grandfather. I just think they should. Now I'm starting to fall in love with Shiki! Note that I made the character up since there isn't any detail about Shiori-san's first husband except the fact that he died shortly after Shuichi's birth. I wonder if I should make some role for Shiki in the later chapters… And sorry I didn't write how Shiori-san and Shiki met. I only told you they met in the shrine. I wanted to, but couldn't find the appropriate place. You-chan, what is it? Do you want to say something to the readers?

Youko: Yes, in fact I _do_ have something to say. Ehm! Do not believe what those X's crossovers said! They're making assumptions! I do not want to see any comment with my name 'Youko' or anything that may refer to me and the word 'pedophile' in a sentence.

Hana: Who would say that you're a pedophile anyway? Ops…

Youko: *take out seed*

Hana: I'm so sorry! Please don't kill me! Kamui! Save me!


	4. Day 3: Welcome to Shiritsu Mieou Gakuen

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! Ne...? What's with all those pointy things on your hands..? Is that a flaming torch I see..? Hahaha... You all must be mad about me updating late...again.. Well, you just have to get used to it! I got writer's block right after my vacation and I'm working on my other fic... I'm gonna be a third year student at Junior High this year, and I have to study my butt off so that I can get to that High School I wanted and not to mention all the money I might receive from my school if I get straight A's... Plus the fact that I'm on the Student Council committee now, I'm gonna be as busy as ever! So yeah, updates are gonna be sloooooo~w.. But it still depends if fate, studies, student council works, club meetings and writer's block go easy on me.. Pray with me...

**And I'm sure that everyone has heard about the tsunami and earthquake that hit Japan... Let's pray for the country's well being... And Yoshihiro Togashi-sama and importantly, Megumi Ogata-sama are safe! Thank God…**

This chapter is for my adorable imouto-chan, **Felicia**! Thanks for the ideas and for making this fic more alive... I hope you'll love this one, lil' sis... To **Ida-sensei**, you are incredible! I love you so much!

**Disclaimer:** YYH is the trademark for awesomeness, poetry and the foundation of joy and ideas... And the incredible man who made it all is Yoshihiro Togashi... Gucci belongs to some handbag company, Vaio belongs to Sony, Lorenzo belongs to...um...Lorenzo..? The anime I spoke of in this chapter belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi and Adam Lambert, Maaya Sakamoto, X Japan and the super boy band, Arashi belongs to themselves...

**Warning:** Mild language, a little OOC, OCs and AU

* * *

**Days without Lies**

"**The past isn't something that you can just throw away, you have to carry it like a burden and care it like a treasure."**

**Day 3: Welcome to Shiritsu Mieou Gakuen**

* * *

The dark secrets he had kept for so long

The memories he never treasured

Under his beautiful face

Lies it all

* * *

It was already been a week since Youko and I was separated. Although it's inconspicuous, he had planned everything. He _intentionally_ wanted the curse after we moved to the bigger house. That explained why he didn't want to do the curse at the prior full moon. After he _officially_ became a part of our family, Kaa-san brought him shopping. "It's part of the guise," she stated before she practically ran to the car. But we knew better. She's just using it as an excuse to go shopping. After their trip, she was in euphoria.

"Everyone was staring at Youko. They even gave us a 60% discount on a Gucci handbag! A _Gucci_ handbag!" she said, showing her new handbag in triumphal. "You should see how the assistant fainted after Youko gave his tested shirt to her. Imagine if I brought both of you. We should bring you shopping more often, dear." I'm exultant that she had indulged herself to shopping, but using our looks to stun people doesn't seem appropriate.

After Kaa-san decided to put Youko and me in the same room, he bought his own things the day after. He bought a bed, a study table, a Vaio laptop, a mini fridge, a sound system and a mountain of video games much to Shuu-toutou's joy. I appreciate the work he does to make the perfect disguise but he had gone overboard. Yesterday, a _Lorenzo_ _lorry_ came and sent a two seat sofa and a coffee table. Thankfully that the room managed to fit him and his _things_, like he kept saying. At least he used his own money. And with his _own_ money, I mean he mortgaged a minor portion of his treasures from Makai. It's bad enough that I don't share thoughts with him anymore. Who knows what else did he have planned?

"Tadaima," I called as I opened the door. When I walked to the living room, the scene that greeted me was trite. I sighed. Youko was lying on the sofa, remote control in one hand with his laptop on the coffee table. He kept his human appearances most of the time. Adapting to the difference I assume. He didn't changed much though. He exchanged his kitsune ears with human ones and he hides his tail. He made himself looked younger, like a teenager and shorter than his usual seven feet height but made sure that he was a good _one_ inch higher than me. He also changed his hair style a little but even if he dyed his hair aubergine, people would still know that's him. I'm not completely sure, but somehow Youko resembles oton when he was younger. My real father, Shiki.

"Okaeri nasai," Youko muttered after stretching his neck to see me.

On usual basis, when I got home he would either be playing his Wii or chatting on Windows Messenger. I myself couldn't interpret how he got used to the _wonders_ of technology so fast. He even talked to me in a techie-language yesterday. I was studying for a test and he came up to me with his not-so-innocent face.

"Kurama, I want to try doing something and I hope it doesn't crash your system."

I was only able to stare at him and say with an irritated tone, "What are you _talking_ about?" I don't know if he intended to bother me while I was studying or not, but his timing was awful.

I took a seat across him and drank his chocolate milk. "I'm surprised that you made the venture of going downstairs to watch TV," I said with a hint of snide. "The TV in _our_ room isn't big enough?"

"I wanted some chocolate milk and the sofa was calling to me," he said without even looking at me.

_Right_… Now sofas are calling to him. Isn't it easier for him to say that he was too lazy to go back upstairs?

"How long do you plan on living here? You were supposed to be back in Makai now."

"Why do you despise me so much that you want me out of here so badly?" his eyes still glued to the TV.

"Because this was _not_ the plan. The plan was: do the curse, you go back to Makai and I resume my life as Shuichi. Things would go like planned if you didn't _**slept**_ beside me," both of us shuddered at the memory.

"I told you! I passed out on the way back from the cave and auspiciously Hiei carried us back. He's all to blame," he defended himself, finally turning his head to me. "Oh and he said that it's unfortunate that we're still alive. Keh! As if a curse can kill us," I couldn't help but to smirked at that. He sat up and took back his chocolate. "Don't worry, Kurama. You won't see me like this anymore starting tomorrow."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, _really..._? And why is that?"

I know this must be one of his antics. I prepared my mental and physical for anything that he might throw at me. Something I've learned from all this week's experience is this: When dealing with the _real_ Youko, _always_ expect the worst case scenario. He will _always_ go diagonally _above_ and _beyond_ your worst expectations. I waited anxiously for him to finish his chocolate although I'm wearing my callous mask. After he finished it, he smirked.

"You'll know eventually."

He got up and went to the kitchen to wash his mug. A second later I heard water splashing against the sink and his humming. I sank in the couch and sighed. So much for preparing my mental and physical. I heard someone opened the door and I can already guess who it is.

"Tadaima," Shuu-toutou said. I need to teach him about ki concealing next time. Although he had fully concealed his ki when he was eavesdropping my conversation with Hiei, he still hasn't perfected the technique yet. I muttered an 'okaeri nasai' with my arm covering my eyes.

Youko had given me so many headaches since the prior days and he was only '_alive'_ for a week. And now, he had conjured up something which I am certain will bring me more headache. What sin had I done to deserve such calamity? I sighed again.

"What's with you? You look depressed as hell," Shuu-toutou commented my rather long sigh. I can hear he jumped on the sofa and changed the channel to Fuji TV, watching his anime again. I can remember he said that it was something about a psychotic alien that lives with a normal earthling. It made me wonder what was so interesting with it since I find it to be a mere scam by the company to make money by animating an old manga on the excuse of honoring the mangaka. What was it called again…?

"I am doomed to the path of insanity instead of aging as I had planned."

"What does that mean?"

"You don't have a very broad vocabulary do you, Shuu?" I peeked him under my arm.

"And I'm proud 'bout it! Ne, where's Kaa-san?"

"She's gone shopping," we heard Youko said in the kitchen.

"Ohhhhhh. And I'm gonna go out to develop the pictures from your reunion for Shouta after this."

As soon as Shuu-toutou finished his sentence, Youko was already leaning on the doorframe with a bright face.

"I'm tagging along. Besides, it's not good for little kids to play around outside when it's dark," he lifted his index finger.

"I'm _not_ a little kid and it's not even dark yet! It's still bright daylight! You're just using this as an excuse to go out," Shuu-toutou indicted. He turned his attention back to the TV. A moment after, his eyes lit up and he had an impish smile on his face. "But if want to go with me, you have to do something."

"Let me guess… Seduce the girl that works there and tell her to produce your pictures for free?" Youko speculated.

"Don't say it like that! Say it as '_enchanting'_."

"I'll go change my clothes," he grinned and went up the stairs.

I took the cushion beside me and threw it right at Shuu-toutou's head, making contact. He turned around, an "OW!" escaped his mouth and rubbed the back of his head. He picked up the cushion and threw it back at me, straight to my face. But of course I caught the petite pillow just in time. As I removed the cushion from my field of vision, another cushion came zooming, and this time, it hit the bull's eye.

Shuu-toutou _really_ is my brother.

"The hell you did that? You made me missed the part where the UFO blew up!"

"You encouraged him to go out. Do you want our house to be a bastion from over crazed girls?"

"I'm just using our '_present'_ from Kami-sama for the right purpose."

"I don't think your term of 'purpose' fits the matter."

"Who asked you?" he stuck his tongue out and turned his attention back to the show.

I got up and ruffled his hair. "The reason why you don't have a girlfriend came from your own childishness."

"And this came from the guy who never dated in his life. When you start dating, aniki,_ then_ I'll act mature."

"Well your aniki here happens to have thousands of girls following to his every command. Not counting the girls in Makai."

"Like _I_ don't have girls listening to me," he rolled his eyes.

"And how many girls is that?"

He made a false cough and between his coughs I can hear he said "Three."

_Three_.

He was challenging my digits and the digit he came up was as minuscule as a 'three'? If I changed it to ratios, the solution would be 1: 650 000. I raised an eyebrow at him which he pretended he didn't see. But I'm not going to let him go that easy. I crouched and started staring at him. He squirmed.

"Hmmm? How many hundred did you say?"

"What? Three counts as many, doesn't it? Three's more than one."

I laughed at his pretext and started walking towards the stairs. It was when I was already halfway up that I realized that Youko was taking _too_ long changing. I strode faster and when I opened the door I saw him with black leather clothing with some mesh and chains and he was putting on some gel. When he turned around, I could see that he had black liner all over under his eyes.

"Oh, Kurama. Do you think I look better with black highlights or dark blue?"

I just closed the door and promised myself to never see another video of Adam Lambert. That would only cause me to have nightmares.

* * *

"Ohayou, Shuuichi-kun!" my two classmates greeted me before I even managed to step a foot on the class's marble floor. And as you've guessed, they're my fan girls. Let me introduce you to Akire and Hana, members of the 'Three Sisters Guild'. I smiled and replied their greeting. At the sound of my voice, they departed from Ningenkai to 'the World of Fan Girls'. When I finally to enter the class, I saw the third member, Nabiki, going to her 'sisters' direction. I smiled at her and she just jerked her head in the other direction with a red face. I didn't even say a word to the girl and she was already red with anger. Though I ought to have developed some kind of immunity to her glares and coldness, it is still very disturbing.

The trio is a group of girls who felt like they're sisters without blood connections and it's no wonder they aren't related. The three of them are different in every way possible.

The oldest of them is Akire Yamada. We had been in the same class since we were six and she had been my fan girl since. It is somewhat not a coincidence that we were enrolled in the same school ever since elementary. Every time I had stepped on a new grade, she would be there on the exact moment I turned my head. I don't know if it is paranoia or not but I think that one of these days I think she's going to kidnap me. …. I should buy a more effective lock for my windows after school, just in case. Despite her quirks, she's a very good writer. She had written several stories to a publishing company and is working on her debut novel. She told me that she is going to publish it by the time we graduate and she was planning to give everyone a copy of it as a momentum of hers.

The second sister is Nabiki Sakura. We only met in high school and the outcome from our first meeting was a new name in her nemesis list. She ranked second in the whole third year students and is constantly trying to _not_ only throw me off the first place but also to kick me out from the Top Ten list. To accomplish it, she requited students from our class and in others to join her 'cause'. But considering the times her cause failed, she decided to only focus on the former. Don't get me wrong, competing with her on academics are very challenging but there was the time where I felt that this hate/loathe relationship is getting tiresome. When I tried to be friends with her, she would only throw me her catch phrase, "No way!" She doesn't even approve of Akire and Hana talking to me and she entitled me 'the Red-headed sissy' to her sisters. She never said it on public but I have a broad hearing coverage.

And then there's the littlest, Hana Sumeragi. She had love on first sight with me ever since she was ten. It was then that she and Akire had combined forces. As her name would suggest, she loves flowers and nature, and she's notorious for being the President of the Nature Lover Club. I often help her planting projects as a non-official member of the club. She _abhorred_ any type of nature destruction even littering. And by _abhorred_ I mean she will elbow strike/chop kick/back flip you if she caught you the second time you did it. And none had survived yet. Except maybe her little brother who is in the first year at our school. She might seem like a normal, defenseless girl with her glasses but _never_ look down on her. Oh and did I mention that she have a black belt in taekwondo?

I took my seat and noticed that Ken hasn't arrived yet. Must be sleeping in again. I took out the curse book I borrowed from Koenma's library (which I had wrapped with black paper) and begins my research to the side-effects of the curse. From all the kanji that I managed to understand (this book was really old) and I couldn't find any that doesn't fall between the category of turning handicapped, my body and Youko's merging together or turning into a pile of dead meat. I guess Koenma wasn't joking when he said about this before we did the curse… I closed the book and sighed. The book said that the side-effects often occur in a long term after the curse was made. So the only thing that me and Youko are able to do now is to just sit and wait for the side-effect to happen, _then_ we'll think about it.

That's a new approach. I'm used to think things through and think about the best solution _first_ before doing anything. Maybe I should get _professional_ help.

It wasn't long after that I realized a figure in front of me. I looked up from my book to see a girl with her hair in a bun panting for air.

"Are you alright, Cleo?" I asked the girl. She rummaged her bag and produced a sketch pad. Ah, that explains why she seemed exhausted this few days.

"Here, Shuichi! I made a new sketch. I hope you like it," she handed me the pad. In the piece of paper was a drawing of me in a tuxedo, bowing slightly with my left hand on my chest.

"I drew you posing like a host club. What do you think?" anticipation was written all over her face and I couldn't blame her. I never even thought that I looked that _good_ in her eyes. In everyone eyes. The hair, eyes, face, everything looked exactly like me. The drawing itself seemed real. It was as if I was looking in a mirror. I stared at the drawing again, taking in every detail.

"This is amazing, Cleo! I like it very much," I said, handing back her sketch pad.

"Really? I mean there's still some part of it-"

"No. It's perfect. I love it," I gave her the smile that I always use to melt the girls on the spot. She blushed and started stammering.

"Wo-Would you like a copy?"

"Yes, thank you." She blushed again and excused herself to the trio's direction.

Cleo transferred here from Thailand due to her father's work. At first she didn't really get along well with the rest of us since she hasn't learn to speak Japanese yet but after we knew that she can draw very well, everyone were asking her to draw for them. She said that one day she would like to be a mangaka and she's currently saving ideas in her head.

"Is that a new drawing, Cleo?" Hana asked gleefully. In a mere second, Akire and Hana were already surrounding it, leaving compliments. Even Nabiki took a glance at it. The other girls noticed this and started seeing it as well. Their squeals were interrupted by a tired voice.

"Could you girls stop blocking the damn door?" Ken snapped at them followed with a big yawn. I knew I was right.

"Use the front door, lazy!" the girls retorted in unison before returning their attention back to the drawing. He glared at them and grumbled "stupid fan girls" but was presented with a smack on the head by Hana before stomping to the front door.

"Ohayou, Ken," I greeted him when he reached his seat beside me.

"Blaahhh~h" was his reply. Okay. Maybe today's not his day. I should just let him be, he'll be over it in no time.

"Excuse me, I'm trying to pass," a quiet voice said from the back door and both me and Ken turned to see who it is.

It was a petite girl with dark hair and eyes. Her eyes flickered to me and a cold sweat formed itself on my face. In a glance, you might think that she's just a shy and quiet kind of girl but she's no more normal than I am. She has an enigmatic aura that doesn't belong to a human or a youkai. And the other odd thing about it is that she only got this aura of her after we started being third year students. Her aura was normal before this. I had been following her to see if she was any threat but was caught red-handed on my second attempt.

"I'm not very comfortable with stalkers. Even when you sealed your energy, I can still distinguish your aura. I know why you're following me and I want to clarify that I'm not going to hurt anyone. You have my word on that. I keep your secret of being… _abnormal_ and you keep mine. Deal?"

She seemed serious when she said that but my curious nature compelled me to know what happened to her.

"No comment," she just said that and leaved. I tried to make investigations on my own but nothing in my list of theories fits the matter.

* * *

"Felicia, ohayou," the girls greeted her and let her pass. I heard a screech beside me instantly after that.

"How come you let _her_ pass?" Ken shouted while pointing his index finger at them.

"Because she's a gi~irl!" they responded.

Ken and I sweat dropped. Women are truly complicated beings no matter which world they live in. Ken wanted to protest but seeing that he didn't have any chance with a group of fan girls, he just grumbled and sank back in his seat with his arms crossed on his chest.

"It's good being a girl, isn't it?" I commented.

"Only when you just barely survived a car accident and people let you pass a damn door," he scoffed. I chuckled and something occurred to me.

I wonder if _he's_ here already.

If he's on his way, he should be involved in an accident like Ken was. No, make it _accidents_. So the probability of him being here would be lesser. Yes, and he couldn't come here, could he? Not with a few broken bones.

My thoughts were interrupted when the class's chairperson ordered us to stand and bow.

"We'll be having a new student today!" our homeroom teacher, Ida-sensei exclaimed a little too happily.

Then, a knock came from the door.

"Oh! That must be him. Is my hair alright?" suddenly she was blushing and was straightening her blouse before opening the door.

The new student walked in and everyone (except for me, of course) in the class sat in complete shock at the sight of him. He walked in slowly with an acute air of superiority and confidence hung just above him. While the rest of the class was still enamored with him and his face, I was mentally groaning.

He is the one person I _never_ wanted to see in this room.

Finally out from their stupor, the usual thing occurred.

"KYAA! A model just entered our class!"

"And he has _silver_ hair!"

"Just look at those golden eyes!"

"He's ultra-handsome!"

While others only managed to stammer a "Wow."

My mind recalled to last night's events.

* * *

"I'm going to school tomorrow," Youko suddenly said while we were eating dinner.

"But Youko dear, you're not a real human," Kaa-san said.

"I know that. That's why I got some forgeries."

Otou-san chocked on his miso soup and coughed. Kaa-san patted his back to help him. "F-forgeries?" was the only word that he managed to say in between his coughs.

"Yeah. I bought a birth certificate, a passport and… some other certificates for the school…"

"But aren't they expensive? And from _whom_ did you get them?" Kaa-san asked while handing a glass of water to Tou-san.

"Ah... My profession is thievery, Kaa-san. Money is no object to me. And I have many allies in the black market. It's very easy to negotiate when you've got money and death threats at your hands. It surprised me that they knew who I was. Oh and Atsuko-san sent her regards. She said that it had been a long time since she saw you."

Kaa-san and Tou-san only managed to stare at him. They still isn't adapted to the fact that their _son_ is a thief and the fact that he's inexplicable.

"Whas gobba be yor rame?" Shuu-toutou said with a mouth full of food. Kaa-san glared at him and he reluctantly swallowed all it. "What's gonna be your name?" he repeated. "You can't just use 'Youko Kurama'. People will know you're a youkai."

"I already thought about that as well. From now on, I will be Youichi Minamino. A normal, 18 year old student attending Mieou Private High School. OH! _And_, Shuichi Minamino's twin."

Now it's my turn to choke. "My _what_?" I gripped on my glass harder.

"Your older twin! Don't you think that'll be _fun_? You and me, being brothers…"

"No."

"You always wanted a brother, weren't you? And now with me being here, your wish can be fulfilled!"

"I already have one, thank you very much."

"Even if you're mad, you can't really do anything now. I already made the documents and enrolled myself in. They even made me enter your class."

"Hm. . ." Kaa-san pondered with her chopsticks on her bottom lip. "I know the Prime Minister-sama told us that we shouldn't encourage the use of forgeries….but!" she clapped her hands together. "Education is _also_ important and every child that is capable _should_ go to school! And it would be a waste of all Youko's hard work into getting them. Besides, he did say that he already enrolled himself… I guess that there's nothing we can do," Kaa-san shrugged. "Well, good luck Youko! I mean, _Youichi_."

"Thank you, Kaa-san."

I thought they only let him stay if he's _unobtrusive_. This is not unobtrusive, this is _conspicuous_. Yet, they just allowed him to do as he pleased.

* * *

Our eyes met and he gave me a sly smirk which I retorted with a glare.

"Please introduce yourself to the class," Ida-sensei ordered him after she had finished writing his name on the blackboard.

He gave a bow. "Hello. My name is Minamino Youichi. I just trasferred here from Hiroshima. Hajimemashite," he gave a warm smile and every girl in the room melted into jelly. The males however, looked at me, looked back at him, and back at me again with a confused look on their face.

"Hey! Who is that guy?" Ken whispered to me.

"My worst nightmare."

* * *

"That's all for today. And remember to be prepared for next week's test on the novel Ikari no Sakuranbo," Ida-sensei packed her things and seeing the anxious looks on her students face, she chuckled. "And try not to kill our new student, now."

The second the door closed, screeching sounds were heard as chairs moved against the marble floor. In the moment, everyone was surrounding me and Youko, who got assigned to sit in behind me. I braced myself for the upcoming war.

"What's your relationship with Shuichi?"

"Are you cousins?"

"Youichi is such a cool name!"

"Do you like kittens?"

More questions were thrown at us and Youko just smirked. This is what he wants isn't it?

_Attentions_.

The reason for his existent as 'Youichi' is only for the attention and the mischievous things he can do. I should have known better.

"Excuse me! Best friend coming through!" Ken tried to get through the human wall with little success. "Get outta my way, bastard!"

The 'bastard' tripped Ken and he fell on the hard marble floor in front of me. Hard. At least he managed to enter the circle.

He stood and cursed the 'bastard' back. After finished cursing to his heart's content, he turned to the smirking Youko and he shook his hand. Oh, here it goes again.

"Hajimemashite. I'm Ken Himaguchi. As you can see, you're in a pretty tight spot here. I mean _literally_. And I would like to offer you my manager service. I've been Shuichi's manager here since Junior High and I did a _very_ good job, if I say so myself. Kept all the fan girls, fan boys, creeps and weirdos away from his back for years. Since you're somewhat related to my best customer, I'll give you my service for free. How 'bout that?"

"I get half of what you earn," Youko bargained.

"30%."

"28%."

"25% and I'll even work at your birthday and at the class' field trip."

"You're good."

"Years and years of experience. So do we have a deal?"

"Deal, hat boy."

Ken smirked and he turned his cap backwards. This would be the sign when he's serious, and you rarely see that.

"Alright you suckers! As usual, a question costs a thousand yen, a hand shake costs 1500 yen, a piece of his hair…" he stopped and turned to Youko. "Do you allow that? Or do you want to change it to clothes?"

"Clothes. I'm not fond of cutting my hair," he said, tugging his hair.

"A piece of his clothing will cost 5000 yen!" he exclaimed and he took out a bag. "First would be questions! Let the money rain!"

Everyone took out their wallets and threw their thousand yen in the bag. I sighed. Doing this kind of thing _must_ violate some sort of school law. Even if it does violate the rule, it wouldn't matter because the school's Student Council Kaichou, Akire, was also throwing her money. After seeing that the bag was full, Ken's eyes turned to the symbol of yen.

"Okay. Now let's see… You, at the back. What's your question?" Ken pointed to a girl at the back of the crowd.

"What's your relationship with Shuichi-kun?" the girl asked the most dreaded question.

Youko's smirk got bigger and he took a glance at me. "It's a funny story actually. Shuichi here, is my brother. _Twin_ brother."

The crowd went "WHAT?" and even the 'manager' Ken stopped counting his money.

"It's true. We're twins, aren't we Shuichi?" he and the rest of the crowd turned to me.

"Yes. That would be… a way to say it," I said through a set of clenching teeth.

"But you said that you're from Hiroshima!" someone shouted.

"And you don't look anything alike!" another one yelled.

"There's a story behind that. You see, it all happened 18 years ago. A woman was fighting with death as she was currently giving birth for the first time. Her husband was right beside her, encouraging her to do her best. The couple was waiting for this day for the rest of their lives. The doctor and nurse did all they can. Outside the operation room, the woman's mother, sister and brother-in-law waited anxiously. Then an hour later, cries of a baby can be heard from the room. The woman's mother promptly thanked and prayed to Kami-sama. A few seconds after that, came another set of cries. The woman's family was surprised to hear the new set of cries. The doctor came out of the operation room with a big smile on his face. "Congratulations," he said. "Your daughter got twins. Both of them were handsome boys." The now grandmother thanked and prayed some more. The sister and brother-in-law however, had an evil smile on their faces. When the woman was taken to her room and her twins were taken to the baby room, the sister and brother-in-law preceded their evil plan. They stole one of their sister's twins and ran towards their car. The baby's cries caught the attention of the security guards. The guards told them to stop and of course, they didn't stop. Instead, the brother-in-law cackled and exclaimed, "You'll never catch us! We're the Dobashis! Ha ha ha ha!" It frightened the hell out of an old lady that was passing there at a bad time. But the Dobashis managed to escape with the help of their BMW. After hearing the news, the woman mourned over her loss. When the guards asked the grandmother why didn't she noticed anything, she said, "I was too busy thanking to Kami-sama." The husband, though he too was depressed with his son's kidnapping, managed to smile at his wife and said, "At least we still have one of our babies." and he handed their remaining son to his wife. The baby was sleeping and when the mother kissed him on the cheeks. In the meanwhile, the Dobajis were already boarding a plane to Hiroshima. Even after seeking the JSDF's (Japanese Self-Defense Force) help, there was still no sign of the Dobaji couple. After searching for months, the police had to close the case."

Most of the girls were already sniffling and blowing their noses.

"Eighteen years after that tragedy, the Dobaji couple died in a car accident. Their sister's son who they stole years before that was in grief knowing that he was alone in the world for he thought that the Dobajis were his parents. A week after his 'parents' deaths, he found an envelope with his name on it from his 'mother'. In that letter, his 'mother' told him the truth and the reason of why she and her husband did as to stole their sister's baby.

'_I've always hated my sister, your real mother, Shiori, ever since we were kids. Everyone liked her and I was treated like an outcast. Every time I saw her and your real father, Shiki smiled and being happy when she was pregnant, I can feel my hatred grows. I wanted to be the happy one for a change. That's why, when you were born, I stole you from her. I felt contended. I kept and raised you just like my own child. I care for you very much. That's when I realized, how much grief must Shiori felt when she lost you. But I was too selfish to give you back. That's when I decided that only when I die, I would let you go. I know my actions were unforgiveable, but I hope that you wouldn't hate me for it. I know that Shiori would forgive me and I know you would too. Because you're her child. If you're reading this, then it meant that I finally managed to let you go. You're free now, Youichi. And . . . Aishiteru, my son.'_

"He was mad at his presumed mother's actions but remembering of how she had cared and loved him like her own son made him forgive her, just as she predicted. His 'mother' also wrote the address of his true family. He travelled to Tokyo, using all the money he had. When he used up all his money, he _walked_ all the way to Tokyo. He didn't care if his feet were breaking, as long as he found his true family. It was when a nice woman named Kasumi Kyoko found him dying on the streets and treated him. After hearing the boy's sad tale, she sent him to his true family. The real mother was so happy to see her son after all those years. And it astonished him that he had a twin little brother all this time. He had always known that there was _someone_ out there who knows his presence. At first they weren't so close though. The _younger twin_ had paranoia issues. Although his real father couldn't share the happiness since he died, they were still grateful that their family is once again reconnected."

_Paranoia issues?_

"That was sooooo sad!" a girl exclaimed in her sobs.

"You are such a tough guy, Youichi!" a boy said, rubbing his tear stained eyes.

"Even when you were engulfed with sadness, you kept on living!"

Why are humans so gullible? All of what he said was lies. We don't know any Dobajis, my grandmother was not there at my birth, she already died, and Okaa-san didn't have any sisters. And neither does Oton. Yet, here they are now, sobbing and crying to his fibs.

"That was a really, really tragic tale isn't it?" Ken said, wiping an imaginary tear. "And to think that he used all his money to go to Tokyo from Hiroshima. You should show him your sympathy in the form of thousand yen bills! Throw- I mean, you can donate it in this bag right here!"

Like a dream come true, thousand yen bills are flying on the air into Ken's bag. Trust Ken Himaguchi to manipulate any situation to his outmost advantage in financial.

"Thank you for your generous donations. May Kami-sama bless you. Now! Let's go on with the 1500 yen handshakes!"

* * *

"I've never seen so much money in my whole life! Is all that really from that question sessions and handshakes?" a friend of mine, Takumi Morisato asked Ken when we were warming up for P.E.

"Indeed my friend. Indeed. And if sensei didn't came in, I bet I can make it into 1 oku with Youichi's clothing."

"WOW! Do you think all that money can get me a date with Mai Kuraki?" his eyes were already in the shape of hearts.

"That, and you might even get a chance to sing with her!"

"S-sing with her?" Takumi stammered. He looked like he would pass out any second now.

"Youichi my good man!" Ken called to him when he was jogging towards us on the field. "Good work today, dude! Just keep being beautiful and sexy and we'll be the youngest billionaires in history! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Youko grinned and winked at him. He turned to me and smiled. I couldn't bring myself to smile back.

Ever since we were separated, I have this unnerving feeling every time I see him. He hasn't done anything serious to me _yet_. Only headaches. So what is it..? Does it have to do with the way he acts now? I admit he's acting like a normal teenager now for the charade but it seems _too_ spontaneous for him. The only teenager he ever really knows was me and even I did not act my age.

It doesn't make any sense actually. He's been inside me all this time and we had been very close, so to say. We both know very much about each other that no other people know. Even so, we are still both different people. Two separate beings. And knowing is not the same as understanding. He might have understood me and my actions but I do not understand him fully. There are still a lot of things I don't know about him.

Is that why I am nervous when it comes to Youko? Because of all the things about him that I don't know of? His secrets that he did not want anyone to know, even me? The darkness he had been restraining? Or maybe what Youko said was right. Is that I'm getting paranoid. I'm not sure. But either way, this is what I've decided. What _we_ have decided. To be separated. And any consequences that may come due to our decision, we will have to face it.

One way or another.

"Come on, Shuichi. It's our turn to run," Youko patted me on the shoulder and started jogging to the starting line.

Together or alone.

I started jogging behind him and took the lane that was next to his.

Those are our only options.

* * *

"Who are you guys going to take to the Spring Dance?" Ken asked to our group that consisted of eight people. Youko, Ken, Takumi, Felicia, Hana, Akire, Nabiki and me. It was fourth period and we have group study because Seiichirou Aoki-sensei had to go to the hospital because his daughter was sick.

"Dunno," Akire answered without a second thought. "I've been too busy preparing things for the dance I haven't even thought about it."

"M-Me too," Hana hesitated a little.

"You guys aren't gonna ask the twins?" Ken asked in disbelieve.

"We all know Shuichi wouldn't accept anyone. He'd been like that every time there's a dance," Akire said. "But Youichi . . . ." all eyes were on him now.

"Huh? There's a Spring Dance?" he questioned, feigning ignorance. It was obvious that he knew about all the school's activities when he was in my body.

"Yeah! It'll be held next week! We have this kinda thing every season. Summer, Autumn, Winter and even New Year's Dance! Its fun and it's all free. Thanks to the wealth of this school," Ken informed.

Originally built with vintage styled theme, Mieou is the top private school in Japan and was known internationally for the success of the students in the National Examination, but it was equally renowned for its penchant for being ostentatious. The school is for the rich and nobles but talents and potential are compulsory to get registered. Family, power, rank and positions do not affect the way this school goes. It caters to all talented people, rich or poor. Due to the large amount of money the school gets every year from the government and donations from businessmen worldwide (not to mention donations from the rich students' parents), the school have enough money to even top the Japanese budget. That is why gadgets and accommodations here are the most high-tech and classy, to live up to its reputation as the top private school.

"Well, I don't really know a lot of girls yet. Maybe I'll decide later," Youko scratches the back of his head.

"What about you, Nabiki?"

"I'm not really in the mood for dancing. I'll just see if there's anyone at the dance."

"Takumi?"

"I don't think that there's a Mai Kuraki here, so maybe I'll just go for the food."

"Felicia?"

"Pass. I'm more interested on how the Student Council are gonna top last year's dance. Last year's theme was Feudal Japan. And the shows they put up were incredible. Especially the kabuki play."

"Oh, you don't need to worry, Feli-chan!" Akire declaimed, making students from other groups to stare. "This year's theme is a flower city. Flowers from all shape and sizes would be scattered along the dance floor, rose petals would be swirling and even the sushi would be shaped as a flower! And of course, our own Hana-chan and her Nature Club would provide the flowers. The foods would be catered from one of the top 5-star restaurant. And there would be live performances from X Japan, Maaya Sakamoto and Arashi! It was even the Principal that asked me to invite real singers on stage! Which Kaichou has the greater idea now? Aha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"Wow," all of us muttered. Like I said, ostentatious.

"This isn't about the theme!" Ken slapped his hands on the table. "It's about us seniors enjoying our last year in this school! Next year, there won't be any more Spring dances for us," Ken exclaimed his own perception.

"Ken's right!" Hana suddenly jumped to her feet with a determination look. "I _should_ enjoy these dances for once."

"That's the spirit, Hana! So who are you gonna ask?"

She suddenly turned red and sat back on her chair. "Ac- Actually. . . . I was thinking about asking Subaru."

"Sumeragi?" Ken and Takumi questioned at the same time. Their faces were filled with shock.

"That gloves wearing weirdo from Class B who has the same family name as you?" Ken continued.

"He's not a weirdo!" Hana insisted. "He's just misunderstood. He's a really nice guy when you get to know him. It's just because he's too shy and keeps to himself."

"It's impossible that he's a weirdo," Nabiki defended her sister. "Weiros _don't_ get in to Mieou. Besides, he transferred here from CLAMP School. I bet he's as equally talented as any of us."

Talented in exorcising spirits that is.

"Yeah. And he joined my club the instant he knew about it. I can't believe someone as cute as him cared about the environment," Hana said, dreamily. "And together, we will free this world off pollution!"

_She's wrong. He'll free this world from spirits and youkai,_ Youko thought to me.

Subaru Sumeragi. A name that might be anonymous in the mortal world, but in Reikai, he's famous. He is the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan. The supreme modern day onmyouji. Although most work concerning exorcising spirits and youkai troubles are now handled by Reikai tanteis, most mortal people would prefer the service from onmyouji. Especially from the Sumeragi clan. As far as I know, the Sumeragi clan had served even emperors. When I met Hana, I thought that she was the sibling of head of the clan. I've known that the head had a sister. But I didn't sense any onmyoujutsu from her and Youko said that his sister died.

Subaru confronted me once, when he first transferred here. Having high onmyoujutsu, he could sense my youki even when I had concealed it. He didn't fight me, after knowing the whole situation that I also worked for Reikai. I asked him for his reason to transfer here. I've been wondering if it had to do with me or the other tantei. Or maybe that my deduction about Hana was wrong. Maybe she also belonged to the clan. And he's here to get her.

"I'm searching for someone. Someone far more. . . . dangerous to me than you could ever be." The look he had on his face, it was a mixture of sadness and rage. But his eyes, it was full of regret. I couldn't comprehend it. This 'someone' must have taken something precious from him and yet, pursuing him is not what he really wanted to do.

"Is it a girl?"

"No."

Of course, Felicia also sensed Subaru's _odd_ aura. She also thought that he was here to look for Hana. But even without asking me, Felicia said that she could tell that they weren't related.

"There is no way that he's related to Hana. His eyes are so lonely. He had pain, in the deepest part in his heart. The pain, only someone who had involved himself in the supernatural would feel. Because the pain itself, is not normal."

* * *

"What about you, Ken? Aren't _you_ bringing someone?" I asked Ken, changing the subject. Felicia flashed me a grateful look. Subaru is not a pleasant topic to talk in front of her. She's still wary about him.

"Me?" he pointed to himself. "Nah! I'm gonna be the cameraman, I'll be too busy taking pictures and recording to dance with anyone."

"And you were the one with high spirits for the dance," Felicia said dryly.

"Of course I was only interested in taking pictures of you guys. Besides, I've danced so many times before this," Ken shrugged.

"In truth, he got rejected by every girl he asked to the dance, that's why he volunteered himself to be the cameraman," Takumi remarked.

Ken smacked him on the head and shouted, "Shut up, Takumi!"

The others laughed and I can see that Youko was also chuckling. He smiled at me and this time, I managed to form a little smile on my face. Suspicious no longer filled me but warmth. I can finally see, for the first time, the kindness behind that smile. It was not the plastic smile both of us had accustomed ourselves with but it was a sincere smile. A warm smile that had come from a cold heart. If Youko Kurama, one of the most feared youkai in Makai managed to make smile from is heart, then why couldn't I, a human, at least try to make one myself? It is easy to forget that I am no longer a youkai, but a full human now. Then maybe, I should try to be more human now. Just like how Youko is trying to be.

* * *

Hana: Yay! I'm finally in the fic! Isn't it fun having me as a classmate..?

Youko: Maybe.. I've only been in Mieou for one day.. You should ask Kurama there..

Kurama: I'm speechless...

Youko: Hey! Isn't this considered self-insertion..?

Hana: Maybeee... But it's one of my ways to make this fic more happenin'! Thanks again to **Felicia** for the idea!

Kurama: But it is still considered as such... wouldn't it make this story Mary Sue-ish..?

Hana: Who gives a shit about it? 'Sides, me and the other OCs are just minor characters... no harm done..

Youko: And I thought minor characters aren't supposed to have bonus chapters... What's all these drafts then..? *showing scraps of crap/draft*

Hana: *whistling in the corner* What..? Character development's a good thing!

Youko: Not so-

Hana: *cuts Youko off* The other OCs are based from my forever loved sisters, Akire-nee-chan and Nabila-nee-chan... Felicia is based from my cute little sis, Felicia-imouto-chan and Cleo is based from my awesome fan-artist friend, Cleo... You guys can check her works and the drawing I mentioned here in her Facebook or in Photobucket... Her works are the best! Takumi is inspired by my best friend, Janrae O. Mendoza... Thanks for making me in your story, Taku-chan! But sadly, Subaru Sumeragi is **not** mine... He belongs to the greatest mangaka group, CLAMP! And he also belongs to the wonderful world of Tokyo Babylon, X/1999 and Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations (Acid Tokyo)! I didn't put this earlier in the disclaimer because I want to make it a surprise... Surprise! Oh and Seiichirou Aoki-sensei is also a crossover from X/1999 and Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations (Acid Tokyo)...

Youko: Are you done?

Hana: Not quite... The OCs that was based from my friends I portrayed here may or may not act as I wrote.. Except for Ken Himaguchi and Hana Sumeragi since the latter is myself and the former is my own OC.. Hahaha.. I'm sure you can already guess why I choose Sumeragi as my family name.. There is another reason why I put Subaru in this fic (other than satisfying my fan-girl self) and it will be revealed in the next chapter! To those of you who are familiar with Tokyo Babylon, and X/1999 I could use the name 'Sakurazuka' as my family name, but then again, I love Subaru more!

Youko: I thought you devoted your love and life for me and Kurama..

Hana: Aw, are you jealous, You-chan? He's just one of my hundreds of fave anime bishounen list alongside Kamui Shirou (which you may recall from the 2nd chapter's bonus annex)... Aren't Kamui and Subaru made the cutest vampire twins in Tsubasa Tokyo revelations?

Youko: (Looks at bishounen list) WHAT? That Subaru is in 2nd place right after me and Kurama?

Hana: (blushes) Give it back! Give it back you overly mutated youkai!

Youko: You're a good girl aren't ya', **shorty**? So shut it... And that drawing to conclusions Kamui *refer to 2nd Chapter annex* is on 3rd place... Hey, look Kurama! Kuronue's in here too... He's on 4th place... Hahaha! I always beat him...

Hana: Good girl my butt! Gimme it! Gimme, gimme, gimme!

Kurama: Um, I still need some help in remembering Shuu-toutou's anime...

Hana: Oh, yeah! Kurama here need to find out what Shuu-toutou's anime is called... Can anyone help this cutie here...? Anyone? Anyone? Keh, it's very easy... A true Yoshihiro Togashi fan would know this the instant I wrote 'psychotic alien'... AND AGAIN, SORRY FOR POSTING THIS SUPER LATE! I've gone to vacation and was further delayed with the new semester of school.. So I've decided that 2 months is a decent update period... But I'll try to make it faster when I can though...

Youko: You know, I still think that the horse was supposed to gallop, not walk like it's on a red carpet..

Hana: You should be thankful that you didn't get a broken rib... Oh, and the Adam Lambert part was born due to my excessive amount of hearing Adam Lambert's 'If I Had You'... If you could imagine Youko wearing Adam Lambert's code dress with black liners and his hair gleaming with black highlights, I assure you that you will never see Adam Lambert the same way again... I'm the prove.. Oh and I've decided from the start to make this fic more Japanese-ish so you get Japanese phrases and Japanese customs… Don't worry, I made translations… And deemo arigatou gozaimasu to **xXRoseOfDarknessXx** for saying that my fic is educational and for not minding with the lateness of my updating!

Youko: EDUCATIONAL? Peh, this fic doesn't even have a moral value, how can it EDUCATE?

Hana: Well apparantly, You-chan, she isn't from Japan so Japanese words are new to her so when she reads DWL, she can also learn about Japanese! I am so happy that I am helping people! *tears of joy*

Youko: Stop all the sappy-ness!

Hana: Sorry if this chapter is crappy and VERY LATE! SUMIMASEN!

* * *

**TRANSLATIONS**

Shiritsu Mieou Gakuen: Mieou Private School**  
**

Tadaima: Traditionally said by someone who just came home... Kinda like 'I'm home.'

Okaeri nasai: Said by everyone who's welcoming that person home... Kinda like 'Welcome home'.

Ohayou: Good morning

Youichi: One sun (yeah, not really manly, but, heck, it rhymes with Shuichi... and it's actually a combination of Youko's _'You'_ and Shuichi's _'ichi'...)_

Hajimemashite: Nice to meet you (something like that... this is actually used for meeting someone for the first time)

Ikari no Sakuranbo: The Angry Cherry Tree

Kaichou: President (who reads Kaichou was Maid-sama, raise your hand!)

Aishiteru: I love you (I don't think that translating this is necessary but maybe there's some of you are American and aren't exposed to Japanese phrases much...)

Kasumi Kyoko: My best friend from Hiroshima! This is also for you, Kasumi-chan!

Oku: Billion yen! (approxiomately 10 million dollars!) Kaching-kaching!

X Japan: Known to the X/1999 fans as the main singers for the OSTs but popular to the Japanese and people world wide for singing 'Forever Love'...! I put them here just because of the fact that they sang 'Forever Love'... Yoshiki from the band made the song after reading X/1999's manga! I'm a CLAMP-fanatic, haven't you guessed?

Maaya Sakamoto: Main singer to Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE's OSTs! I just love her voice!

Arashi: No, this is not the Japanese for 'storm' this is my ultimate fave J-band of all, ARASHI! And this time, it has nothing to do with CLAMP...

Subaru Sumeragi: Crossover from Tokyo Babylon, X/1999 and Tsubasa Tokyo Revelations... Read my fangirl rant in the nonsense talk...

Seiichirou Aoki: Another crossover from X/1999... He's actually from CLAMP's real life editor, Seiichirou Aoki! That means there's a real person out there with the name Seiichirou Aoki... Kinda looks like Fujimoto Kinomoto (Sakura's otou-san) from Card Captor Sakura ne...?

Onmyouji: Oriental sorcerors... Onmyoujis field of careers are actually astrology but they also serve the Emperors for fortune telling and exorcising spirits... But now the practice of onmyoujitsu is forbidden but the Sumeragi clan however, acts as modern day onmyoujis, mainly giving services of exorcising spirits and acts as mediums. (READ Tokyo Babylon or watch Shonen Onmyouji, people!)

Ningenkai: Human world

Makai: Demon world

Youkai: Demons

Youki: Demon energy

Reikai: Spirit world or the Underworld

Reiki: Spirit energy


	5. Day 4: Konpurikeishons of a new born hum

Update, yay! I'm so late, and I'm very very sorry for that, but hey, life happens.. And I already finished my National Exam! Wish me for good results! *winks* On another note:

**Happy First Anniversary DWL!**

Well, I'm late a few months but what the heck, it's already a year! I already planned a lot of things for my readers and the VIPs (as in the people who reviewed)... I hope all the VIPs already received their gifts, if not you can just contact me and demand it, I won't mind, instead I'm very sorry if I neglected you...

For the general surprise, it's actually in my DeviantArt account, which I newly made.. There's Chapter Covers for the chapters up to now (and the Annex) and I made the infamous **'bed scene'**into a manga! There's also prototype sketches for Youichi and the final result can be seen for this chapter's (Chapter 4) cover... There's also a prototype sketch of Ken Himaguchi and final results. . . . will be exposed later, hehe! And my fave of all, DWL's own official logo! Please do check it out, I did it especially for my readers (and my satisfaction)..

Please note that Chapter 2 and Chapter 3's covers are still under construction, so please check my dA for any updates.. Any comment on my drawings, just PM me...

In this chapter, I made numbers for some of the translations that needs explanation, since there's a lot.. Hehe.. Usual Japanese words are written in the translation corner with translations only.. So if you have any difficulty with the Japanese words, just scroll down to the section, thank you...

This chapter is for **EVERYONE** who's been keeping up with me for the year, thank you!

So without further adieu, I present Chapter 4!

**Disclaimer: **YYH is the trademark for awesomeness, poetry and the foundation of joy and ideas... And the incredible man who made it all is Yoshihiro Togashi... Other disclaimers are in the explanations on the bottom of the page...

**Warning: **Mild language, a little OOC, OCs and AU

* * *

**Days without Lies**

"**From the deepest desires often comes the deadliest hate."**

**Day 4: Konpurikeishons of a new born human**

* * *

Our King...

superior

* * *

Blank.

That was the only word that fits the description of my dream. Or so I think this _is_ my dream. To say that this is reality would be most doubtly because Toukyou[1] was never this _empty_. And this could never be Makai or Reikai.

My curious nature compelled me to walk ahead. There was no reason to just stand there. In the middle of nothingness.

This space has no reference point from what I observed. There was no Sun, no Moon, no clouds and no sky either. Just darkness. Some kind of dimension perhaps?

An odd and indifferent dimension.

Strange. My hair doesn't even move when I walked, even when I sped up my haste. No clacks were made when I stomped the soles of my shoes. It was as if I was in motion itself. I opened my mouth but no words were formed. I clapped my hands, not even one vibration.

Very strange indeed.

Is this a dimension where waves do not exist? Or maybe a void where particles and even sound is absent? Or maybe –

Out of the blue, eyes started to pop out of the space, filling the empty void. I was surrounded by them. There were hundreds, no probably thousands of eyes. There were green, amethyst, amber, brown, red, blue and the list goes on.

I didn't know nightmares can change to psychedelic dreams.

At first I only thought that this was the side effect of having to restrain all of Youko's antics over the week, so I only stood there waiting for the dream to end.

"Fear…"

A voice suddenly said and just like the eyes, the words came from nowhere. It was a weak voice. The voice of someone who was trapped for a long time and had been long given up hope, yet still earnestly searching for it. A conflicting voice.

"Afraid… Humans… Humans, humans, humans, humans, humans... Afraid, afraid, afraid, afraid, afraid…" it kept chanting the words 'humans' and 'afraid', as if those were the only words he can pronounce.

The eyes.

The eyes' irises were changing color. All of them turned hazel. And they were grieving, grieving with the voice.

His chants got faster, faster, faster, faster – and suddenly, he stopped.

"No, humans… I… hate!"

" Hate, hate, hate! I really really really really really hate ningen!"

The voice gained volume. What seemed like an inexistent whisper was now a scream. The sadness that was reflected in the eyes now changed to madness. His hatred… did it gave him power? His hatred towards human, was his core?

And just as it appeared, it disappeared. The voice didn't fill the void of eyes anymore and the eyes were closed, making the void blank again.

"Promise… Protect… My duty…" a new voice came.

Unlike the first one, this voice was filled with regret and the eyes reflected that expression. It was a voice that belonged to someone who couldn't even forgive himself.

I should know…

"But… I was deceived… I will destroy… Destroy… Destroy… Destroy… . . . . . . "

"My friends… Killed… Revenge… Revenge… . . . . . . . " this voice, it was filled with an emotion, but it wasn't rage or sadness.

Indifferent.

"Life and ningen... Darkness… No, oblivion. Yes, yes, in the oblivion,"

A firm voice. Stable and clear unlike the previous voices. It rang perfectly and somehow, melodiously.

"Reality and dreams… does it… exist..?"

Uncertainty.

"Nightmare. Nightmare, only nightmare exists."

Confidence. The voice gained confidence in his statement.

Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Deceive Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge[2]

It was a stream of sentiments and emotions coming from an unfathomable number of people.

As the voices died down the eyes stared me, blinked and they bored to mine, just like they were in the first place. The creepiness I was suppressing finally ran down my spine. When the creepiness wanted to emit, it was doubled by the next voice that came and until to the point where it accumulated and it was only able to burst now.

When I woke up, I couldn't comprehend why the dream – possibly only fragments of my imagination– caused sweats to roll down my cheek.

* * *

"You ever had the feeling you're being watched by hundreds of eyes?" Youko asked me.

"You mean like _now_?" I drawled. I'm used to the stares my groupies often gave me but now with the number doubled, I've started to feel less than comfortable under their intent gaze.

"We need to lose them," he nodded at me and at the next turn, I flitted to the nearest tree and Youko decided to hang himself from the second floor window.

The girls started to panic as their models were nowhere to be seen. I controlled the tree to conceal myself completely from their view, no close to underestimating them. From what I gathered from my experiences of being stalked by girls is that they are very agile and attentive to even the smallest details when they want to. It would be better for them to use their uncanny abilities for their benefit other than chasing a useless prey.

They started making teams and each team was ordered to find us _without_ fail. I sighed. They really had their priority at the wrong place.

* * *

We reached the library and as I was halfway to the door knob, the door suddenly opened. Before it managed to collide with my face, Youko stopped it, saving me from possible nosebleed if not a broken nose, considering the speed of the door. The person who opened the door must be very angry.

"Eh?" the door opener, a boy, popped his head to see me and Youko. "Ah! Minamimo-senpai! Sumimasen!" he turned and inspected me, searching for any wound or scratch.

"Ah, I'm okay. Youichi stopped the door before it hit me," I reassured the kouhai and he let out a relieved sigh. I recognized him as Hana's otoutou, Sumeragi Taka. After scrutinizing me again and confirmed himself that I wasn't harmed, he bowed low and apologized again.

Shiritsu Mieou Gakuen's library was a place that should not be underestimated. Like most of the school, it was harmonically a mixture of western complexity and Japanese serenity. It has its own building just across the school's lake, making outsiders gawk and wonder what kind of library had five floors and what they were all for. It even has its own manga café. Even the public library is no match to Mieou's.

I pressed button 'three' as soon as the elevators doors shut. After a few moments, we were already on the third floor, which was known to house books of myths, legends and histories.

"This place's pretty big," Youko commented as we were trying to sense Subaru's reiki. "Half of Koenma's library." The "But just as priceless," part was whispered a second later and was emphasized with the gleams his eyes emitted. I ought to look an eye on him.

"Well, yes. I thought you already knew that since I've been visiting this library very often, even when you were still in my body."

"There's no reason for me to be awake when you already are, is there?"

I rolled my eyes and snickered.

"Since when do the goody goody Shuichi snickers?" he exclaimed with a shocked expression, adding to the drama.

"Ever since the rude Youko Kurama possessed his body, unbidden."

That intimidated feeling doesn't churn my stomach as quite anymore, ever since I tried to be more open and casual around him. Thinking him more as Youichi Minamino, my supposed twin brother instead of Youko Kurama, the legendary thief from Makai. But the ominous feeling still surrounded him, clinging to him like a spider web. Soft silk embracing him, vague and fragile yet still as lucid and solid. The presence of the web did not bother him, more likely, he intentionally went to the spider's way and let himself being plagued by the web, unable to move freely. It was like, if he wasn't tied down, he would disappear, blown by the wind.

But what does the web represents? What could be carved for him to cling to it so much? What was engraved in each strand until it formed an unfathomable sculpture?

I felt someone tapped my shoulder and I turned to see Youko pointing to the end of the room, pointing to Subaru, mesmerized in the curse book. I lend him the book to ask him study the curse for us since this is in his field of expertise. Youko might had lived more longer than the book itself but such curses are of no use to a youkai, let alone a thief.

"Good afternoon, Minamino-tachi[3]," Subaru bowed chastely and we did the same. Being the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan, he ought to claim quite the respect. He asked us to take our seat before he would explain further details. "I already studied and compared the curse you did with my books and scrolls but I think that it is essential if I explain a few things first," he cleared his throat. "Curses are similar to spells in many ways but there is a difference that influenced everything. A curse can be done by anyone, whether that person has spiritual abilities or not, but the consequences are deadly…even vital. Whereas spells require years of practice and only the spiritually gifted can perform. A curse, to put it simply, is a contract between the caster and a spiritual being. The caster will have to do a certain ritual to summon the spiritual being and it will do as it was summoned. While a spell relies solely on the spell caster's reiki and doesn't need the help of any spiritual being," he took a breath before continuing. "Similar to youkai who reside in Makai, there are _other_ spiritual beings that reside in Reikai."

"What kind of spiritual beings?" Youko interjected.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but um… Kami-tachi-sama[4] live there."

Both of us were in shock. "You mean…" I trailed, unable to finish my sentence.

"The _deities_ live there?" Youko growled with his hands clutched.

"That's what I was told…"

I never thought that Kami-tachi-sama live in Reikai. Even if it makes sense, it is still unbelievable. The place where spirits stop to receive their next destination was also the residence for the deities.

"Is Inari there?" Youko snarled through a pair of gritted teeth.

"I-Inari-sama is a kami, too. So I suppose so…"

"No wonder I always felt uneasy when I went to Reikai," he grunted while Subaru was left confused by his remark.

"He. . . .has conflicts with Inari-sama," I said, though I was clueless myself.

"Oh. Um, where was I? Ah, yes! Unlike youkai who are restrained from entering Ningenkai by the kekkai – though it's already been destroyed – the inhabitants of Reikai can easily access Ningenkai. Like I said, in a curse, the caster summons a spiritual being to borrow its powers for a certain task. It doesn't only mean that the beings that will aid in the curse are Kami-tachi-sama. There are other beings there which are limited to humans' narrow intelligence. For example," Subaru opened the book to the page of the curse and pointed to the picture of the amulet. "This amulet is actually a medium for the correct spiritual being to get to you. Kind of the 'cue' for the said being. I can't tell you what spiritual being aided you with the curse since I don't know myself."

"I bet it was Inari. No kami has a heart as rotten as her," Youko loathed and he wrinkled his nose, remembering the stench from when we did the curse, with his vision directed towards the lake beneath the building. Subaru and I sweat dropped. I wonder what is Youko's problem with Inari-sama. His mood was changed altogether. I made a mental note to ask him later.

"Is that also the reason why we need to write our names along with the amulet?" I enquired.

"Yes. There might also be another person in this world with the name 'Shuichi Minamino' or 'Youko Kurama', so by writing it with your blood makes it easier for 'it' to find you. And it is advised to do it on full moon because spiritual beings are most powerful in its presence."

"I understand that much but why does it seemed necessary for 'it' to not only suck our youki but our life energy as well?" Youko snapped.

"Yes. I was wondering about that as well."

Subaru smiled. "That was the 'price' for the being's assistance. A person I know said this very often, 'For everything you desire, you have to pay an equal price in return. You can't get more nor give more. No more, no less. It must be in balance.'[5]" Upon seeing our confused faces he chuckled. "Your wish is to be separated, right? And because it helped you, it drained your youki and life energy as the price for helping you."

As I pondered on that, I heard Youko mumbled, "Damned Inari… stole my youki…made me an A class." Well, I think something around those lines. The continued phrases were only tantrums.

"But that isn't the end of the curse," Subaru said seriously.

Youko suddenly jumped on his feet and slammed his hands on the table. "What else does Inari wants?" he elongated himself towards Subaru's direction, as if daring him to continue. No wonder people cry when they see him, he _is_ frightening.

"U-Um, please calm down, Minamino-san…" Subaru's hands flew automatically in front of him. He was already trembling. I tried to pull Youko back to his seat but he wouldn't budge. He kept on glaring at Subaru, whom was already drained by sweat. He gave one last glare and sat back on his chair with his arms crossed. Both of us only managed to watch in awe.

Let me rephrase that.

_I'm_ watching in awe, _Subaru_ was watching in fright.

"Uh, um… as I was saying, losing your youki isn't the only bargain. This curse you used belonged to a category called 'sakanagi'. If you cast a curse and the curse is a powerful one, then the backlash upon the caster will also be very powerful."

"A backlash?"

"Yes. Um, let me put it like this. You summoned the being without its free will and by casting the curse, you are forcing it to do something it didn't want to. Draining your youki is only the payment, the backlash is like its counterattack for telling it what to do. Or simply, 'karma' happened. And the karma from the being will return to you without fail. That is sakanagi[6]. Professionals like onmyouji[7]," he gestured to himself. "are aware of the sakanagi's power and therefore place special defenses upon themselves for protection. Since both of you don't know any onmyoujutsu[7], the backlash will be _fully_ returned to you.

Something inside tugged me, telling me that this is _not_ good. And I can sense that there would be more to come.

"But for you Minamino-san," he pointed to Youko. "You will get the highest percentage of the backlash because you're the one being exorcised."

Youko's eyes went wide and I can hear the faint grinding sound as he gritted his teeth. He restrained more of his anger while asking Subaru the feared question. "What sort of 'counterattack' are we going to get?"

"I don't know."

"Come again," I requested, fearing that my ears were rebelling against me.

"I. Don't. Know."

"What do you mean 'You don't know'? You're the thirteenth head of the Sumeragi clan," Youko hissed and I readied myself to stop Youko's hands from around Subaru's neck. A second note to ask him his problem with Inari-sama.

"Every backlash differs from each curse and spell. The curse you did was a very old one and even my knowledge and current resources alone weren't that old."

"So what are your assumptions, Subaru-san?"

"Well, the usual backlashes are paralysis or maybe sudden death if the being was nice enough and then insanity, epilepsy…" he trailed off. There must be something from Youko's face and mine that cued him to stop.

We obviously did not do the curse just to spend our lifetime on a wheelchair, the mental institution or a hospital. We should have meet Subaru before we did the curse.

"Okay…" Youko's forefinger and middle finger were rubbing his temple. "Let's say that _you_ did the curse for us. Who would get the backlash? You or us?"

"All of us…but you would still get the highest percentage. It's a no-win situation," Subaru frowned.

"And the kami gets the last laughs," Youko scoffed.

"But…" Subaru started, his face was written with seriousness, his clutched hands slightly trembling. "I did a fortune telling in a fire meeting this morning to see if I can have a vision of the backlash…" he gulped the bile forming in his throat. The result of his fortune telling must be unpleasant. "I only got a vision of eyes. They seemed like human eyes but they were… empty. Lifeless… Yet still menacing. I tried doing the fortune telling a few more times, but the results were the same. And there were also faint voices. It sounded like a crowd was talking at once. Bees buzzing in a bee hive. I was unable to comprehend it."

I was abruptly reminded of my dream and I flinched at the memory.

"Please be careful, Minamino-tachi. You might be watched or stalked. There are a lot of possibilities. And we don't know if there is another party going against you. Fire fortune telling can show visions of the upcoming events but to get the same results are rare. Whatever is coming ahead, it is something that you have never faced yourself. That's the feeling I got."

We thanked him and gave him a bow.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't any help with figuring out what would be your backlash."

"It's alright, Subaru-san. You were a lot of help, in fact," I smiled at him.

"I will try and ask my Obaa-chan, the former head of the clan in Kyoto and see what she will say."

"Thank you very much, Subaru-san," I gave him a small bow. Despite of not having anything to do with this, he does his best to help us. The altruist, that was his alias. It made me wonder if I ever done that. Doing something selflessly with no attention what so ever for the well being of others other than myself. It didn't surprised me, rather, I knew it all along that I never thought about others more than myself. I'm not even sure if I ever thought anything for _my own_ self instead of Youko's.

We stopped discussing about the curse when we entered the elevator. The girls took this opportunity to bombard us with attempts to ask us to the Spring Dance and Subaru wasn't excluded. As tolerant as I am to the requests and shrieks, I am grateful to have something distract me from my dream.

"And speaking about the dance…" Youko put his arm around Subaru's shoulder with a smirk ready when we were on the way to the campus building. Ah, I can see where this is going. "I heard that you're going to take Hana."

Subaru blushed a little and fiddled his fingers to avoid eye contact. "H-How did you know?"

One would guess that Youko eavesdropped on her conversations but in this case, he didn't even to make an attempt.

* * *

"Subaru said 'YES'! I'm going to the dance with Subaru! SUBARU!"

She was practically screaming her spring time to the heavens. Her sisters obviously congratulated her but Ken and Takumi weren't taking it too well.

"You can't go with _him_! It's… It's like a… a bad omen!"

"Yeah! It's downright weird!" seconded Takumi.

"They just accidentally share the same family name," Felicia retorted. "It's pretty common you know."

"And it's not even the same kanji," Cleo added.

"But it's pronounced as 'Sumeragi'! It's the same thing!"

"You can't go with him, Hana-imouto-chan! He's weird!" the ever protective Takumi-onii-chan shook her shoulders and his attempts trying to penetrate some common sense into her resulted in vain.

"Don't listen to these dummies, Hana-chan! These kinda things are always interesting! Both of you having similar family names. It was like both of you were fated for each other!"

"You think so, Nabiki-nee-chan?" Hana's eyes were sprinkling with anticipation.

"Of course, Hana-chan! I have a feeling that things will work out for the both of you," Akire confided.

"See? Even Akire-nee-chan said that it'll be good. And you know that we can always trust her intuitions."

"You girls are crazy!" Ken snapped.

"No! You're crazy!" Akire pointed her finger to Ken. "Every single day, I turn on the TV, and what do I see? Palestine, China, Iran, environmental pollution, earthquakes... But you know what? That's all fine, so long as girls like us can still have our fun! But will boys like you let us? No! Instead, you have to go and ruin everything!" her hands were flailing on the air.

"If all girls are like you, then the whole world's crazy!" a vein threatened to pop.

"What'd you say?" another vein pulsed.

"How dare you say that to Akire-nee-chan!"

"Subaru-kun~~~…."

"Oh no! It's useless! She's in a state of pre-catatonia! Hana-imouto-chan!"

"She's just daydreaming, Takumi. Seriously…"

"Look, Shuichi-kun!" Cleo threw a drawing to my face. It was the exact replica of the current situation. "I drew this special moment to fit in my collection."

"You know, Cleo-chan, you should make Ken as Gamera!" Youko suggested and true enough, Ken does look like Gamera throwing a fit.

"Hm… Then Akire-chan can be Godzilla!"

"And the others can be people in distress running madly for their lives in random ways!"

It was a very hectic situation.

* * *

"I-I was just… I didn't have the heart to say 'no'… She seemed like she would cry if I did…"

Cry? Very unlikely. 'Beating you up' has a higher probability. Even if he _is_ the head of the Sumeragi clan, who was famous for exorcising the most dangerous spirits and can save himself from grave situations, he's too nice to fight back. Especially against a girl.

"You made a right choice Subaru," Youko patted his shoulders. "For the sake of you ever moving another limb again…"

"Ne? Did you said something, Minamino-san?"

"No. Nothing. Just be careful!" he waved at the now confused boy before spinning on his heels to the corner.

I patted Subaru on the shoulder and trailed after Youko. One cannot guess the wrath Hana will unleash if Subaru suddenly changed his mind. No need to rub salt to the wound.

* * *

"Hate."

"Oblivion."

"Revenge."

"Deceived."

"Nightmare."

"Hate. Oblivion. Revenge. Deceived. Nightmare."

"Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Hate Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Oblivion Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Revenge Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Deceived Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare Nightmare"

"…mare."

"Cursed."

My eyes opened and my eyes lay on a white ceiling. This is the second time I got that dream, minus the eyes. But this time, I felt like I was intentionally jerked from the dream.

_You're only able to dream that much._

That was the message that was sent to me. After experiencing this psychedelic dream-turned-to-nightmare for two times in a row now, I knew know what caused my apprehension to be suppressed yesterday.

I was afraid.

I wasn't afraid of the eyes, no. It was what those eyes reflected. Sadness, regret, sorrow and yet, there was also determination in those muddle of emotions. And also what the voice had said. But what I'm afraid most is the ominous feeling they gave out.

No, not afraid.

Terrified.

Why do those feelings seemed very familiar to me? Were they . . . . my emotions? The emotions that I never showed finally accumulated and explode, in the form of a dream? But why now? Is it because Youko is no longer in me? Do I have no control over my own emotions anymore?

Before this, what had I ever controlled? My actions, my words… Were they truly what I wanted? Or were they Youko's? Was I simply a shadow that was casted by him? Unable to move unless he does?

Even now, am I still his shadow? Only moving according to his whims?

Connected to his self-made chains of contingencies.

But according to Subaru, his vision (and my dream included) meant that someone might be watching us. So it _might_ not be my emotions rebelling amok.

If I were to count of the possibility of us being watched, there would be a lot of suspects to choose from. There is also the matter of why.

I threw myself back on the mattress and let out a sigh. The peaceful last year of high school I sought seemed more and more unattainable with every breath I take. And the shogun of all the hardships I had to endure was now sleeping softly to the bed next to mine, unconscious to the fact that he stole my tranquility and exchanged it with pandemonium instead.

Screw that, I never experienced real 'tranquility' ever since I was born. If killing him would return the life I would and should have had, I would be ever so happy to kill him –right now, right this instant – using only that as the motif, with a smile even. If the reason I never hated him was because I would also be hating myself, now I have no hindrances.

'_Over-thinking is worse than not thinking, _Shuu-chan_. Have you ever heard of that? It basically means not to think too much. So you shouldn't think about what you would and should have had, instead, you should think of what you have now. . . .me!'_

I can imagine him saying that to me with that smug smile and –annoying – teenager guise he's still applying. Without thinking, I was already at the edge of his bed, gripping my fist.

_Calm down, Shuichi. You're losing it._

I can't let that incorrigible kitsune keep me connected in his chain of contingencies, even if I don't know how deep am I involved already. I might be the main core of it, in fact. And everyone around me, my friends and my family might be the connecting coils. In order to break that chain, I need to use all I have.

"Bring it on."

The wall clock in the living room showed 5.36 a.m. I woke up too early. I don't think I can go back to sleep either. Besides, I don't think I can stay in the same room with _him_ now. I might lose it again and ended up beating him up. I can hear swift movements of a knife and a faint humming from my destination.

"Ara? Shuichi?" Kaa-san stopped dicing the radish and looked at the wall clock. "It's not even 6 yet. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm alright. I just woke up early," I reassured her. "I can't go back to sleep, so I decided to help Kaa-san with breakfast."

The knife fell from Kaa-san grasps. Time moved in slow-motion as I reached out to catch the knife before it landed– on Kaa-san's hand. Even as fast as I am, I didn't make it in time and the sickening sound of the knife stabbing something echoed in the silent kitchen.

There lay a dead radish, stabbed to death by a kitchen knife, a fate that every radish had to face. I can hear the radish saying its goodbye to the world.

I pulled the knife out. Kaa-san was never this clumsy, not with the kitchen utensils. When I inspected her face, Kaa-san had little tears on her eyes. "Kaa-san?"

"Oh, Shuichi! I've been looking forward to this kind of atmosphere since long ago! I'm cooking breakfast with my daughter!"

Eh?

"I always wanted to give birth to a daughter and I thought I was. So I've been fantasizing these kind of moments a lot when I was pregnant. But I didn't expect to give birth to a boy," Kaa-san stopped for a while and looked at my face. "And Shiki told me, "He's more beautiful than any girl I ever seen– except you of course." A coy grin conquered Kaa-san's face as she remembered the memory.

Trying to avoid the subject from elaborating (and recollect the remains of my shattered manliness), I took the radish and chopped it immediately. Before long, the both of us were already working silently. Only the sound of the delicate clock's hand playing music in the stillness with its constant tick tock filling the background.

"Kaa-san, do you think it's. . . wise of me to be saperated from Youko?" I heard my voice echoing the walls.

"Ara? What do you mean Shuichi?"

"I mean, if he were still inside me, he can't cause any havo- trouble."

"Is he trying to cause trouble?"

"Not really... I just think that it is bad that a youkai is free to do whatever he wants. Sooner or later, he might turn to his old self again."

"To be honest Shuichi, I don't really understand all these things. Youkai, Reikai tantei, ningen... I was brought up in a world where only people exist, not 'ningen'. And youkai are only creatures in tales used to frighten kids. I didn't know that they'd take refuge and make a worlds of their own," Kaa'san chuckled. "But this is still the world I live in. In the world I live in, Shuichi is Shuichi and Youichi is Youichi. My handsome twin sons. None of that youkai stuffs."

I still remember how the Youko inside of my child self wondered how could Kaa-san wears a smile so warm and honest without any difficulty. Why is that, whenever I tried to leave her, her warm smile was the first thing that appeared.

Now I know why oton and Tou-san fell for her. Why I loves Kaa-san's smile so much. Why even the cold-hearted youkai can turn soft.

It's because every time she smiles, she puts all her love in it and she has the ability to carve that love in our hearts.

* * *

"Hey, where's the duct tape?"

"Look on the table. I saw it with the cans."

"I don't see anything."

"Then move the cans, you idiot!"

"Have anyone seen Tsukimori Len-senpai[8]?"

I chuckled. The pressure must've been the cause of everyone's inattentiveness. The dance is only a couple days away and everyone were working hard to help with the preparations. The student council were burning the candle at both ends especially Akire-san. She was ordering this and that to any student she lay eyes on, and we weren't excluded.

The dance floor was planned to be on the open field beside the library building. The grasses were trimmed thoroughly, making the ground looked like a green carpet. A mini stage was to be built for the music performers.

"Oi, Shuichi, is this how you do it?" Youko aimed the cordless screwdriver to the metal through a distance.

"You're supposed drill the screw, not shoot it," I expected that he would treat it like a gun. I thought the 'screwdriver' part was suffice to explain what it is.

"You're boring, Shuichi," he sighed. "I was trying to be funny and you just have to be cynical about it. I can't believe we're related."

"Related? We're not even -" I gave up. If I say anything, he would just reply the opposite of it. He wouldn't even hear me, even if the constant sound of drills weren't here.

"Youichi, do some daring stuffs, would you? Recording you tightening some screw while making chit chats with your brother doesn't really fit the girls description of 'manly'," Ken commented while flicking his video camera off.

"I thought we're recording during P.E."

"Well, we were suppose to but when classes were canceled to help with the preparations, what choice do I have? The girls want this video today. And I'm not letting my money float away."

This is how humans are. Never satisfied with what they have and search for more, more and more. Even when they already have everything, they still want more. What more with the economy crisis, it's a kill be killed world. The condition doesn't really differ from Makai much, if seen by a different perspective. Sometimes it doesn't surprise me how easily I forget that I'm human. By the way I see it, humans and youkai have a lot common characteristics.

"Oi, Himaguchi-kun! What are you doing?" Ken sullenly turned around to face kaichou of independence's wrath.

"I'm working. Can't you see that?"

"Working what? I told you to help Minamino-tachi-kun screw the pillars for the stage, didn't I? You're just standing there recording nonsense!" she immediately turned to Youko and me. "No offense, Minamino-tachi-sama[9]. I'm not saying that the both of you aren't worth it. Now keep that camera away and start drilling."

"I am drilling. You see that guy over there," he pointed to a man around his mid-twenties. "He's my servant and he's doing my drilling for me, right, Kaji?"

"Hajimemashite. I am Taeki Kaji, the footman for the Himaguchi household. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu," he bowed very low, making us uncomfortable. None of us were aristocrats, including Akire-san, to receive that level of respect. We bowed back low except for Youko who seemed more than pleased by the respect.

Bringing servants to the school is actually recommended by the school, due to the majority status of the students in Mieou, but for Ken, it was a rarity. Ken was one of the few people who don't conceit his family's name, saying, "I don't like gloating about something I barely own."

Therefore, the purpose of his servant being here. . . . .

"An empty wallet makes a Himaguchi sad."

Why am I not surprised. It was for money.

"It says so here in my guidebook," Ken's servant took out a dictionary-sized book from his suit pocket. It amazed me that he can even work with that hard-cover book in his pocket without losing balance. He opened the book to a certain page and showed it to us.

"Another motto of the Himaguchi family servant is:

'An empty wallet makes a Himaguchi sad.'

"Based on that, any servant of the Himaguchi household must assist the family members in any money making ventures. Keep in mind that any extra in the family's income results extra income for yours as well."

"See?" Ken grinned as his servant stopped reciting the paragraph from the book. This amazed me as well because what he said was exactly the same as written in the book. I was actually half expecting him to say, "I am just one hell of a butler."[21]

Hm. I wonder if the servants of Himaguchi must know all the contents of the book by heart or if that particular paragraph is his favorite, among others.

"Let me see that," unsatisfied, Akire-san took the book with difficulty at first because of the weight and inspected the cover. "'The Himaguchi Servants: A Guidebook' written by Kazutano Shima, Handmaiden of the Himaguchi." She muttered a low "Damn it."

Youko who was also reading the book from behind Akire-san, took the book and weighted it on one hand. "So you bring this everywhere you go?" he ended his sentence with a slight interest.

"Not necessarily because all the servants must at least remember half of the contents of the book."

Youko whistled in amazement. To put so much effort and dedication on remembering just how to serve a family, Taeki-san and his co-workers must be very devoted to the Himaguchi family. That level of devotion isn't something that is in me, in _us_, I realized.

Loyal to someone, without even one thought of leaving. . ..

I want to be like that.

"I'm sorry shitsuji-san but your danda-sama is an incompetent fool."

"Hey!"

" If he asks you to do a simple job such as drilling a mere screw, how can you be certain that he'll succeed when he inherits his parents business? I'm sure Himaguchi-tachi-sama sends him to a school so that he can learn to be independent and reliable. If not, they can just let him be home-schooled, am I right?"

Akire let a moment for Taeki-san to nod his head.

"As a servant, shouldn't you make sure that he grows up to be the man his parents know can manage their company? Make sure that he ends up as a strong-willed and independent man?"

"Uh-YES! Thank you very much for enlightening me, Kaichou-san! Here you go, waka-sama," the butler handed Ken the screwdriver. "Please teach yourself how to do things on your own accord. Even though it is against your commands but as a servant, I'm to make sure that you grow up as a wonderful young man! I will pick you up after school, waka-sama. Itsureshimasu." the butler bowed and left with a bright face and a renowned spirit.

"Damn you, Akire," Ken cursed while pointing the screwdriver like a gun and bullets would came shooting from it.

Akire-san's triumphal face didn't make the situation better. "Looks like the finance manipulator just got beaten by the psychologist."

I can see lightning emitted from the both of them.

"Looks like they're gonna start at it again. I wonder what crisis Akire-san would connect with Ken again, " Youko whistled.

Not letting herself got into the heat, she turned around and started ordering the others. "Hurry up, minna-san! Don't procrastinate! The stage needs to be done today. The performers would start their rehearsals tomorrow. Ikimasuyo!"

"Yeah, you better run!" Ken shouted when Akire-san was out of earshot. "I'll show her who can't drill a screw..."

"Ano, Ken," I started.

"What?"

"You're supposed to drill in the screw, not– no. Nothing."

The look on Ken's face halted any comment that were about to come out from my mouth.

* * *

After a few hours and dozens of screw boxes later, the mini stage was finally sturdy enough to be used. Akire-san permitted us some rest before continuing with the rest of the preparations. Gulping my can of lemon tea, Hana-chan came skidding in our direction with two bouquets in her hands, blue roses and dahlias. It was weird seeing her without her usual club's black file she always carries around when she's in Club President mode.

"Ah, Shuichi-kun, I need your help. Should I use roses," she gestured to one of the bouquets. "Or the dahlias for the VIP table?"

"Use the dahlia. It'll be better to use simpler flowers."

"Thanks. Subaru said he's going back to his house at Kyoutou[10], so I don't have anyone wiser to ask. I hope he'll be able to make it to the dance," Hana-chan frowned.

"Don't worry Hana-chan, he'll be here. Or else he'll get his date stolen by me," Youko winked.

"Really, Youichi-kun?" Hana-chan's mood changed drastically. "You'll protect me from the man-eating fan girls, ne?"

"As a gentleman, where would I be if I couldn't even protect my flower?[11]" he bowed gentlemanly.

"I'll remember that, Youichi-kun!" she turned around to leave but stopped on her tracks and looked back at us. "Oh, Ida-sensei wanted to see you two."

"About what?"

"The 'Mighty Mind'."

* * *

Hyoutei Gakuen[12] prides itself as one of the best schools there is and they've got a reason to. Other than always in the Top 10 list of all schools in Japan, they also have praiseable presentation in other fields, almost a par with Mieou's standards, if I dare say. Especially their tennis club that have an outstanding number of 200 members. Not to mention that their team is favored in the Nationals.

But they're not the focus of today's events.

"The Mighty Mind is an annual event organized by the Ministry of Education as an alternative to expand students knowledge on different fields such as traditional arts and history. The event that bla, bla, bla," Youichi stopped reading the pamphlet a Hyoutei student gave him at the entrance. "I still don't understand why we're here."

"We're here because Ida-sensei signed us up to enter a quiz competition-"

"without our permission," Youko interfered. "I understand why she chooses you, but I'm just a new transfer student. I haven't even seated any exam yet."

"That'll remind you not to do things so extravagantly such as putting your IQ level 180," I took the pamphlet from his hands.

"But if I didn't, I wouldn't be accepted to Mieou," he mock pouted.

"That would be best."

"Who'll look after you then, my _pathetic_ otoutou-chan?"

"I was doing perfectly fine before you came."

"Back then I was the one who supported your body."

"I don't need you to support my anything," I hissed. His help was only required in emergencies and other than that, it was my own effort and work. I control my own body, not him.

"Do I?" he turned over to me and caught me by the neck before I managed to step back. "Who do you think gave you your youki? Who gave you your life?"

"Who gave you the soul you're living?"

The hand on my throat clenched, narrowing my trachea. His hand was so cold, such are his eyes, sucking my very life and I wondered if mine  
would be as cold when I die.

_You'll find out.  
_

He's going to kill me. He will, even with all these people.

I'll die.

"Me."

With one simple word, the hand on my throat disappeared. Oxygen started to fill my lungs again. I was able to move again. He continued strolling among the crowds, looking as normal as another person would. I rubbed my neck, trying to absorb the coldness, leaving no marks of his on it.

I am not yours.

He do not own me, I am my own self. That's what I've decided when I made that curse. Not only to be separated from him, but also to live my own life, with my druthers, not his.

"Sumimasen, are you Minamino-tachi?" a voice questioned.

The asker, a boy my age, was wearing a black version of Mieou's uniform. He was wearing a pair of rectangular glasses and by the looks of it, he must be an honor student, I should know. There was another boy by his side only he wore his uniform the same way Ken would; blazer unbuttoned and his sleeves rolled up to his elbow. His constant bubblegum popping clearly shows his bad boy attitude. If he was a contestant, which I was sure, he would be the perfect epitome for the saying, 'Looks are deceiving.'

"Yes. And you are?"

"Hajimemashite. I am Andou Sakumu. And this is my partner, Eishirou[13] Kyoushi-kun," he pointed to his friend. "We're from Kazuko Gakuen. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu[14]."

"Kochira koso, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu,[15]" I bowed.

"Minamino Youichi," without noticing when he came, Youichi bowed beside me.

"Ah, you must be Minamino Shuichi-kun's aniki-san. You're very popular among the girls at our school, both of you. When someone posted your pictures in our school's web board, well, let's just say the rate of couples skipping classes dropped down dramatically."

"We're happy to help with disciplines," I smiled politely.

He leaned closely to us and whispered loudly, "Be careful if you ever bump with any Kazuko students. Those ex-boyfriends are full of wrath. Eishirou-kun here is one of them. Signed his name instantly after knowing that you'll be joining."

"The more reason for us to win then," Youko grinned.

The boy, Eishirou-kun, turned and walked away with a "Che!" and Andou-san just chuckled. He bowed and took his leave as well.

"Saa, we should go back to our seats as well," Youko smiled at me oh so innocently. The change in his personality was so fast (too fast might be more appropriate), it was as if he had not made an attempt to kill me a few minutes ago. I just nodded and followed him turning around to-

FLASH!

Both Youko and I were stunned by the sudden burst of light. My irises immediately contracted to avoid the blinding flash.

"Oh, nice expressions," a blond boy mused over his iPhone[16], satisfied. Gold hair, blue eyes, weird Japanese accent, he's definitely a gaijin[17]. "Your hair were flying so elegantly on the air, it was even obvious in the picture."

"Who are you?" Youko snarled, a growl escaping his chest.

Never ever startle a kitsune. They don't appreciate even a second of blindness and vulnerability.

"I am a mere traveler, circumnavigating around this hideous world seeking for rare resplendences and my oh my, never had I witness such paralleled yet balanced beauty contained by you," he gestured to us. "Hair as soft as silk, eyes as round as the full moon, skin as white as milk… Ah! I can even feel the pulchritude you emit! Combien enivrante!"

We faced palm. Blond-kun wasn't making any sense and Youko decided that this isn't in his 'authorities'.

"There's an escaped asylum fugitive over here!"

"Eh? No, no! I didn't come from any crazy house, I'm from England. Ingurando!"

"He's also an illegal immigrant!"

Hyoutei's security guards were already walking our way, armed.

"Non, non, non, non! I am not a psycho and I entered this country legally," he took out a card. "See, here's my ID!" After seeing the proof of his words, the guards retracted from the false alarm but they were still giving Blond-kun warning glances and Youko was plotting another way to make him leave us for the rest of the day.

I hope Blond-kun took Youko's hint and leave.

"Now, how about another picture with you two smiling?"

I guess not.

"I'm sorry," I said before Youko could do anything more to him. "But we really need to get ready. I'm sure you yourself need to as well."

"Nope. I already readied myself. Now, how about a pose with you making a peace sign? No, no, a free style! Oh, I know! A love sign!"

That's it.

_You can take care of him_, I gave Youko my consent.

"Oh, I'll give you a very nice pose, Blond-kun," Youko smirked and guided him to the back of the auditorium.

"Won~ won~ won~ wonderful![18]" he exclaimed in a sing song voice. "And my name is René Chamber[19]."

"Yes, yes, Karameru-kun[20]."

"It's 'Chamber', not Caramel."

"I'm sorry, my English is quite terrible, Kemeberu-kun[20]," Youko forced a smile. I can also see his nerve twitching.

I tried to save him, this Chemuberu-kun[20], but it seems like he's as oblivious as a block of wood. Whatever happens to him is not my problem anymore.

But... I'll just make sure Youko didn't kill him.

Just as we were almost near the back door, the sound of a bell ringing filled the auditorium.

"Attention to all contestants. The Mighty Mind competition will commence shortly, please make your way to your allocated seats. Thank you. Attention to all contestants-"

"Oh! I must get going, handsome princes! I'll see you on battle. Toodleloo!" Chemuberu-kun waved at us.

Saved by the bell, how cliché. We took our seats as well, thankful that it was far in front than Chemuberu-kun's seat. We were ordered by Ida-sensei to revise our notes when someone tapped my shoulder. It was a girl clad in a neat dark green suit, her school's emblem hanging proudly by her chest pocket. She had long brown hair and brown eyes.

"Hi, Kurama. Long time no see."

It was Keiko-san.

"Hello, Keiko-san. Actually, we met a few weeks ago at the reunion, remember?"

She chuckled. "Yeah. I had a hunch that the genius Minamino Shuichi would be here. Now you blew my chances of winning."

"Don't worry, Keiko-san. This is a duo competition. It all depends on team work."

"I guess so. Who's your partner then?" she tilted her head to see the person on my right. I can see Keiko-san freezed when she realized who my partner is.

"Yo, Keiko."

It took her a minute to reply, "You...ko?"

"In the flesh."

* * *

Thank you for reading and I'm very sorry for how late it is! If you spot any errors, please point it out.. I finished this chapter using my phone, so it's error prone.. Ahaha.. I'm sorry for messing with the Shinto beliefs foremost, especially about the Kami-tachi-sama part! I have no idea where Kami-tachi-sama rests on… I was trying to make the focus to the importance of Reikai in the YYH universe... Oh, and the next chapter will come shortly, but it will be a chapter full of specials!

Contents:

Annex ~Youko Kurama~ Forgotten  
Annex ~Shiori Minamino~ A woman's strategy  
Interview with Botan in Studio Life!

Please look forward to it! As a final note:

Thank you very much for supporting me and DWL for the year, and I hope you will continue supporting me in the following years! This little flower is very thankful to everyone for putting up with this crap of mine, **THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

**Translations**

Ningenkai: Human world

Makai: Demon world

Youkai: Demons

Youki: Demon energy

Reikai: Spirit world or the Underworld

Reiki: Spirit energy

Sumimasen: Excuse me

Kouhai: Junior or underclassmen

Senpai/sempai: Senior or upperclassmen

Otoutou: Little brother

Shiritsu Mieou Gakuen: Mieou Private Academy

Kekkai: Barrier

Obaa-chan: Grandmother

Imouto-chan: Little sister

Onii-chan/Nii-chan: Older brother or to refer to a boy who is older than you

Onee-chan/Nee-chan: Older sister or to refer to a girl older than you

Gamera: The turtle-like monster from Ultraman (well, that's where I first know about Gamera)

Shogun: Leader or Commander (used in Feudal Japan)

Kaichou: President

Senpai/Sempai: Senior student/colleague

Shitsuji: Butler (Kuroshitsuji fan do the DEATH pose!)

Danda-sama: Master (Any error in this meaning please tell me because in Kuroshitsuji II, 'danda-sama' is translated as 'Master', but I never find this word in my resources for the translation of 'Master'.)

Waka-sama: Young Master

Itsureshimasu: Excuse me

Minna-san: Everyone

Ikimasuyo: Let's go

Sensei: Teacher

Hajimemashite: Nice to meet you (only used to someone you meet for the first time)

Gakuen: School, academy etc etc

Combien enivrante (French): How intoxicating (if this is wrong, please tell me. I don't know any French and my only option is Google Translate.)

Non (French): No

**Numbered notes**

[1] Toukyou: I'm assuming that Mushiyori town is in Toukyou... P.S: Toukyou is how Japanese really pronounced Tokyo..

[2] Stream of emotions: I initially intended this to be in Japanese, but since it seemed so much of a burden for the readers, I changed it to English. In Japanese, this seemed more cooler and enigmatic. You don't know how long this took me to re-write on ... YOU DO NOT KNOW...

[3] Minamino-tachi: Loosely translated as 'The Minaminos'. Adding 'tachi' behind something makes it plural. Eg: 'Ken-tachi' can mean 'Ken and the guys/others'. Any questions about this, just ask me.

[4] Kami-tachi-sama: The Deities. Same as the 'Minamino-tachi', this shows plural.

[5] "For everything you desire . . . . . ." This is a quote from xxxHolic said by Yuuko Ichihara. Yuuko is somehow a friend of Subaru's, so that's why I decided to put her words. **I do not own it.**

[6] Sakanagi: This is a type of curse, just how Subaru explained it. Simply, it means 'backlash'.

[7] Onmyouji: Oriental sorcerors... Onmyoujis field of careers are actually astrology but they also serve the Emperors for fortune telling and exorcising spirits... But now the practice of onmyoujitsu is forbidden but the Sumeragi clan however, acts as modern day onmyoujis, mainly giving services of exorcising spirits and acts as mediums. (Once again, read Tokyo Babylon or watch Shonen Onmyouji to understand it better, people!)  
Onmyoujutsu: Type of powers specially for onmyoujis. Same like 'reiki', 'youki' or 'ninjutsu'.

[8] Tsukimori Len: A character from La Corda D'oro Primo Passo. Plays the violin. **I do not own him.  
**  
[9] Minamino-tachi-kun . . . . . Minamino-tachi-sama: Akire-kaichou is trying to be respectful to the Minamino to soften their hearts, thus the difference in honorifics.

[10] Kyouto: The real way to pronounce Kyoto. As in how Japanese really pronounce them. Same with Toukyo.

[11] "As a gentleman . . . . . ." A spin-off of Sebastian's (Kuroshitsuji) usual, "As the butler of the Phanthomhives, where would I be if I couldn't -add random tasks here + devilish smile-

[12] Hyoutei Gakuen: Yes, it is **the** Hyoutei Gakuen from Prince of Tennis! **Which I do not own as well...**I might make some notable Hyoutei students appear (Atobe etc etc), but no promises.. I know, I'll squeal if Atobe-sama makes an appearance too..

[13] Eishirou: No, this is not Eishirou Kite's (Prince of Tennis) brother or distant cousin.. Sorry to disappoint you Eishirou Kite (or Luke/Yousuke Crawford) fans.. But look at the bright side, I'm disappointed too.. I want to own Eishirou Kite (or Yousuke Crawford) too, but sadly I **couldn't...**Let's sob together..

[14] Yoroshiku onegaishimasu: Please take care of me/ Please be easy on me/ Please be nice to me. . . something along those lines.. There isn't an accurate way to translate this.

[15] Kochira koso, douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu: "No, I should be the one to say that. Please take care of me." You add the 'kochira koso' to show respect or humbleness.

[16] iPhone: Why do I even bother, everyone knows this. **I do not own it, literally and also the iPhone logo and Apple logo belongs to Apple Inc.**If anyone's wondering, Rene's is iPhone4.

[17] Gaijin: loosely means outsiders or foreigners (not the same as tourists).

[18] "Won~ won~ won~ wonderful!": Taken from Alistair Chamber's (Viscount Druitt) quote in the Making of Kuroshitsuji II. **Do not own.**

[19] Rene Chamber: René (French) meaning Reborn.  
If anyone already guessed, yes, he's a descendant of Alistair Chamber a.k.a Viscount Druitt (Kuroshitsuji). Alistair is French so that explains why René was talking in French even though he's from England. René is actually a cross between Alistair Chamber and Ray Fujita (a.k.a Michel Ray David, a French-Japanese artist.) **Do not own Alistair Chamber or Ray Fujita.**

[20] Karameru, Kemeberu, Chemuberu: Possible ways to mispronounce 'Chamber' in Japanese. The correct way is 'Chamba'.

[21] "I'm just one hell of a butler.": Sebastian's (Kuroshitsuji) famous catch phrase! **Do not own.**

Got lots of cross-overs, yeah..?


	6. SPECIAL DAYS

Here's the three piece special! Enjoy!

* * *

**Special Day: Forgotten**

I don't remember anything that's related to my childhood. Not even small pieces of it. And like how youngsters nowadays put it, I don't give a damn about it.

If there was anything worth remembering, such as my first steal or kill, those memories are better off forgotten because such sentiments hold no meaning what so ever. It's better if I remember the route to an aristocrats mansion and his locks other than those embarrassing childish achievements. What happened, happened. Whatever tragedy or trauma (which I doubt) that caused me to be the man, or youkai I am, deserves neither my thanks nor anger because it was fated and I'm comfortable accepting it as it is.

Fate.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm not a pious youkai or sorts, Inari forbids. I just think that if there is a force that youkai should believe other than Kami-sama, that's fate. Of course those other idiots don't have any reason (or perfectly working mental state) to share my belief, but I don't blame them. Beliefs doesn't bring any advantage in my world and it's in our bloodline to only do what brings satisfaction to ourselves.

What beautifully greedy creatures we are.

But fate is a force that can be altered, unlike Kami-sama, and that's the only downside of it. If I was fated to die at that time the hunter chased me, it might took me a few days or weeks rioting at Reikai because it was probably my biggest theft, the Maboroshi no Ginzuishou.

But I cheated death and somehow landed in Ningenkai, more specifically, a ningen woman's womb. If the soul that was supposed to be in this disgusting fetus was mad, I was enraged. Dropping dead and a few centuries in Reikai seemed better than having to go through childhood (and more over, puberty), twice. The woman had to suffer in the first months of _my_ growth.

So there I was, caged in the stomach of a ningen human, all soft and powerless. It seemed unbelievable to me then that fate arranged this, so my conclusion was:

Inari was meddling with my fate. The only Kami that controls every aspect of kitsunes.

In Makai, I was a popular youkai. An idol. I indulged myself everyday. Flirting with girls in broad daylight, getting drunk in the best wine, rubies and diamonds coiling all my fingers, everyone wanted to kill me... It was the best life a youkai could have and I've only been living in lust for a few hundred years.

And now Inari had to steal my paradise!

She have such a sadistic sarcasm. I just know she loves torturing kitsune in her leisure time. Everyone knows of the abusing Inari. If I ever meet her again, I'll. . . . . I'll . . . think about it later. Even I know how stupid it is to confront Inari, moreover with this tender human body. Ah, I know...

I'll make her plans backfire.

I know how much Inari hates me. The other Kami were talking about what a failure she was because one of her kitsune (me) was acting like a barbarian. She thinks that I'm purposely insulting her status as the Leader of the kitsunes for being the way I am.

Well, unbeknown to her, I'm just living my life to the fullest while indirectly irritating her. It's killing two birds with one stone. Besides, who'd want to be her familiar? She already have all those other white kitsune for her to command.

"Be my familiar! Prostrate me, revere me, serve me! Give your life for me to order! Kiss me and seal the contract!"

Like in hell I would. Plus having to kiss her (demanding) mouth, I'd rather kiss a human.

And that's what I was forced to do in this baby form. Pecking this woman I should call 'Okaa-san' everyday. It was bad enough that I couldn't escape. The reason I can't isn't only because of this inconvenient body, but also because of this guy.

My human 'Otou-san'. (But I call him 'kuso jiji' behind his back.)

Apparently he has some reiki, not much but enough to know that his son isn't fully human.

"Ne, Shuittchi. Are you possessed by a spirit of something? Every time I see you, I can see kitsune ears on your head."

"Ano, kitsune-san. Can you hear me? Could you please leave my baby's body? I know it's bad for a human to have a spirit in his body for a long time. It might. . . . .change him. So, can you?"

"Come on, Kitsuttchi. Talk. I know you can understand me. Okay then, what about. . . .shake hands? Roll over? Play dead?"

"Shiori! Come here, hurry! He's going to say something!"

"Say 'okaa-san'. O-kaa-san."

"O..kaa...sann."

"Ah! He said it! Shiki, he called me 'okaa-san'."

"Now, say 'otou-san'. Come on, Shuittchi! Say 'otou-san'. Otouuuuu-saaaaan~~"

". . . . . .o..."

"Tou-san! The 'tou-san'!"

"o...jiji."

They would talk to me everyday, talking about miscellaneous stuffs, showing me pathetic baby toys and telling me how much they love me. It was easy for me to ignore them but every time, I would still turn back to them and listen to everything they has to mutter, as ridiculous as it was.

"You know. I got some kind of . . . .calling today. I went to Inari-sama's shrine to pray and then suddenly there's a voice saying that I shouldn't worry. The voice said that this was for the best and nothing bad will happen to my family. I'm happy to hear that you and Shiori are protected by Kami-sama."

It didn't took long for him to stop calling me Kitsuttchi and started calling me son. He accepted me just like that, without considering the fact that I'm a youkai. He was so certain about what Inari told him.

What a gullible idiot.

"Look, son. It's a picture of your Okaa-san when she was younger. Isn't she the most beautiful?"

Not really.

"Her smile is the brightest thing in the whole three worlds! It was the thing that attached me to her. I bet it was the same for you too, huh?"

...

"Ah! He's stunned by your beauty, Shiori! You're such a sinful woman! How can you even seduce your own son?"

"Shiki..."

"I'm very worried, you know! What if some rich and handsome guy come hitting on you and you accept him? What'll Shuittchi and poor rejected me to do?"

"Stop it, Shiki. You know I wouldn't do that. Besides, how can I leave my beautiful baby boy to you? He won't survive."

I nodded in agreement.

"Wha? Shuittchi, how can you betray your otou-san for a lady? Don't you love me?"

"He loves me first, ne, Shuittchi?"

...

Being loved this much by 'my' parents.

It's so hateful.

But then when they know the truth, they'll leave me.

It's hateful.

* * *

More today.

More youkai came lingering the house today. Is it because my youki is getting stronger...? A lot of youki in a baby's body...

They wanted to eat me.

Now in this stupid infant body, I can't protect myself. But I won't die. I still haven't pay Inari back. I need to find a way to keep living.

A way...

* * *

"Shuichi... Ano, your otou-san, went away. He went to a place far away, until he can't come back anymore."

I...

"But. . . . .we'll see him again. Yes. We'll definitely see him again. So, before that, Shuichi needs to be strong, okay? So that when Shuichi meets otou-san again, Shuichi is already a strong man. Be strong, Shuichi. Because okaa-san might go too, and okaa-san don't want to see Shuichi if he's not strong."

I know. I know it since long ago.

* * *

"Youichi! Shuichi! Lunch's ready!"

"Hai."

"Call Shuu-toutou as well."

"Hurry, your okaa-san cooked some kitsune udon today!"

"Uwaah! Kitsune udon? I never ate it before."

"Can you eat it, Youko? You don't have the heart to eat your own kind, would you?"

"Of course I can! It's _you_ who don't have the gut to eat it."

"This is kitsune meat? Cool!"

"Eh? I thought kitsune udon are made from tofu, right, Shiori?"

"Yes. That's what I put. It's just called that way, Shuu-toutou. Shuichi is just teasing Youichi."

To belong in this loving family, it'll all be hateful when they'll leave me. Even if it took the rest of their lifes, it'll still just be an instant to me.

And after that, all these memories about my 'human' childhood will be forgotten.

Just like my first ones.

* * *

Hana: Ah! That was fun writing in Youko/Youichi's pov for a change! It was easier writing that than the usual chapters.

Kurama: It's because Youko is a simpleton.

Youko: Oh, the feeling must be horrible coming from someone who's already such a simpleton.

Kurama: ….

Hana: Oh, maybe Kurama-kun is right...

Youko: What?

Hana: I hope everyone already saw my presents, I'm sorry if it's such a worthless present, but that's all I can do. *bows*

Youko: But it was fun taking those shots! I got to wear a lot of clothes. And I got fans too.

Hana: That's right! DeviantArt is a new experience to me (before now, I only upload my stuffs at Facebook), so I didn't really know how it works. But every time I upload drawings of Youko/Youichi, in no time, I'll get a message telling me that someone already FAVORITED his drawing! It amazed me how fast his 'charms' works!

Youko: You shouldn't underestimate me, heh!

Hana: But no one commented on them! I can't improve myself if no one comments!

Kurama: So criticize her very much, everyone.

Hana: Eh, but not that much... Can I call you 'Shuittchi' too..?

**Translations**

Youkai: Demon

Kitsune: Fox

Inari: Inari Okami is the deity of fertility, rice and most importantly, kitsune. Inari was pictured as a man, a woman and androgenous, but I used the female version here. Note that all the things I said was in Youko's view, which means most of them are biased. Ahaha... So if there's any Shinto practitioners (or Inari-sama fanatics) please forgive me for how I wrote Inari-sama here.

Familiar contract: Actually this isn't needed for Inari-sama, since she's the Kami for kitsune but there are kitsune who doesn't obey her *cough*Youko*cough* Inari-sama's kitsune are pure white ones. I used the concept from 'Kamisama Hajimemashita' for the process of becoming a familiar, thus the kiss.

Kami-sama: God or Deity

Kuso jiji: If I remember correctly, it means, 'old fart'. I found this in Fuji Shinichi's doujinshi. Check them out!

Ojiji: Grandfather (yes, grandfather...)

Maboroshi no Ginzuishou: Crystal of Illusion. A crossover to Sailor Moon. I actually wanted it to be Mamoru's crystal, the Golden Crystal so it'll be like Youko killed Mamoru. Hehe...

Kitsune udon: Fox udon. No fox were harmed in the process of making this dish, don't worry... It's mostly made of dashi (food stock), mirin (food stock with alcohol), aburaage (deep-fried tofu) and kitsune― I mean udon!

* * *

**Special Day: A Woman's Strategy**

"Kaa-san, we're going!"

"Have a nice day!"

Good morning, everyone. I'm Minamino Shiori. Eh, I #was# a Minamino. But now I'm Hatanaka Shiori. After my first husband, Minamino Shiki died, my boss, Hatanaka Kazuya proposed me a year ago. Now, I have one protecting husband, one loving husband and three handsome sons. I'm very thankful to Kami-sama for all the bestowment I receive.

A lot of events happened at the household recently, so as the mother I need to stay optimistic and do my best. The first way to make sure that the family is happy is to have a clean house!

A strategy that every women should know for a clean and heavenly house is . . . .

The 5S strategy!

SEIRI  
To dispose of unwanted things around the house. Anything that is unused or rarely used should be disposed in the most economical way.

"Oh! This is Shuichi's old Kamen Rider doll. He never plays with it anymore, so I should pack it together with the other toys and give it to charity. But. . . . . What if he still wants it to reminice his childhood days? I should at least spare one toy..."

SEITON  
Rearrange things that are used according to their respective places for easy use.

"Youichi's uniform should be on the left side of the closet and Shuichi's on the right side."

. . . . . . . . . . . .

"I know! I'll rearrange all their clothes and put Youichi's on the left side and Shuichi's on the right side. But what about their underwears...?"

SEISO  
Clean every spot in the house so that there will be no dusts or bacterias on the floor or furnitures.

"I should vacuum the rooms as well. And then I'll mop and sanitize every inch of the house using this new sanitizer I bought from a saleswoman yesterday. I'll start with Shuu-toutou's room."

5 minutes later. . . .

"Gyaah! It caught me! The thing in the pizza box got me! Be gone you evil bacteria!

"Guwaaaahhhh. . . . ."

"Wow! It does "Purifies the house like an onmyouji!"

SEIKETSU  
Preserve everything in a nice and clean state at all times.

"Done! Now I just have to put up reminders in their room so that they won't make a mess."

_'Anyone who make any mess will be sentenced to bathroom duty for a week!_

_xoxoxoxo_  
_3 Okaa-san'_

SHITSUKE  
Train the other family members to follow the rules.

"Tadaima, kaa-san!"

"Okaeri na— Why didn't you arrange your shoes in the cupboard? How many times do I need to tell you all? Even you, Shuichi! Stand in the hall until your otou-san comes home!"

"Why are you all sitting on the porch?"

"Kaa-san told us to."

"Looks like she's addicted to that teacher drama again."

"Ohitorisama?"

"Yeah."

This is the life of a wife and mother.

* * *

Hana: Writing Shiori-san like a manga heroin was fun! So since it's in manga-like format, the POV looks like kinda messed up, sorry.. The reason I wrote this Annex like that is because I'm planning to make this one into a manga too... Yeah! But I dunno when it'll be finish, but I'll announce it if it is..

Youko: What fashion am I gonna wear this time? Mode..? Rap..?

Kurama: Please no.

Hana: Don't worry Kurama-kun... All of you will be dressed up, but just once, for the Annex, Forgotten cover!

Youko: Ahhh~~~ (sullen)

Hana: And you'll wear kimonos! Isn't that great?

Youko: Aaaaaa~~~

Kurama: I'd gladly participate.

Hana: Look forward to the annex covers as well, minna-san! And, no one thinks of perverted things about the *cough*underwears*cough*, ne!

**Translations**

5S: It's actually a program used in workplaces and organizations... Based from Japanese words that starts from 'S' (though in Hiragana the characters for each of the words differ, I'll note these later)... Basically it's just like how Shiori-san used it but if you'd like more info, just Google it...

Seiri (せいり): Tidiness

Seito (せいと): Orderliness

Seiso (せいそ): Cleanliness

Seiketsu (せいけつ): Standardizing

Shitsuke (しつけ): Self-discipline

Ohitorisama: A Japanese drama about a Japanese History teacher at an all-girls school labelled, 'ohitorisama'... Google it! Don't own it. Literally means 'by yourself' or 'alone'.  
_So, what does Ohitorisama even mean? Well, it actually started by waitresses and waiters in Japan, when asking if a customer is by themselves. Hitori means "one person", and sama is a polite suffix added to one's name to show respect. (hence kyakusama, which means customer). Waiters and Waitresses would therefore ask a customer, "Ohitorisama desu ka?" When asking if they are by themselves for that night. Recently, however, the meaning of this has been evolving thanks to pop culture. Many people simply use ohitorisama today when referring of a woman who is by herself. Ohitorisama aren't necessarily lonely or prefer to be alone, but rather they are headstrong independent women. One of my Japanese friends told me that many women in Japan today strive to become ohitorisama._ (info credit to** Veeai **from LJ)

Note for the next annex:

Studio Life: a company for male actors (my fave, Matsumoto Shinya)... I'm just using the name, **do not own**.

* * *

**SPECIAL INTERVIEW**

"Camera set?"

"Hai!"

"Alright! Host, are you ready?"

"Ah, wait! Okay, I'm ready."

"Right! Camera rolling... and action!"

"Hello and good afternoon everyone! This is Botan and you're watching 'Studio Life'! My guest today is an author who just celebrated her first anniversary in the fan literature world. I present to you live from Haru studio, please welcome Hana4262!"

Clap! Clap!

"Welcome to the show, sensei."

"Thank you for inviting me."

"Well, let's start from you. Your pen name is 'hana4262' and your Twitter is 'hanachan4262'. So is it safe to assume that your real name is Hana?"

"Yes, though Hana is only my nickname."

"Would you mind telling your real name then?"

"I'm sorry. I don't want to reveal that yet. Only people close to me knows my real name."

"Very secretive, are we, sensei?" *laughs* " Alright then. How about we go to your debut work, 'Days without Lies'. It tells the story of Kurama or Shuichi Minamino, one of the main character in YYH and how he got separated from his youkai self, Youko Kurama. Tell us how the idea came to you."

"I am a big fan of YYH and I'm proud to say that I am a major Kurama fan girl." *laughs* "When I was 11, I made doujinshis for the animes I like, including Cardcaptor Sakura and Yu Yu Hakusho."

"So you mean DWL is originally a doujinshi?"

"Yes and no. You see, back then the doujinshi has a whole different plot. It used to be called, 'Melody.' The main character is a girl, who is also Kurama's classmate in Mieou. For the sake of the plot, I need to separate Kurama's human self and his youkai self. After I went to Jr. High, I lost interest in the doujinshi because there isn't anyone that could read it. It was then I decided to make a fanfic that focuses on Kurama that got separated with his youkai self and how it effects himself and those around him. Basically, I elaborated the event from my old doujinshi."

"Oh, I see! So from drawings, it evolved to words. Are you always interested in literature, mainly fanfics?"

*laughs* "No. I first discovered fanfics when I was looking for more infos about Kurama. I stumbled upon this site thats dedicated to him. I looked all the sites contents and that's how I was first introduced to fanfics, though back then I thought that all the things those authors wrote were canon. I was very gullible back then. And then I discovered the site . I was looking for materials about Kuronue when I found this fic titled, 'Anemone.' I contacted the author, telling her how I liked the story and how fun it seemed to make your own fanfic. She was the first one who encouraged me to make a fanfic and I'm very grateful that I've known her. If it wasn't for her, DWL wouldn't have been born and I would still be continuing my doujinshi just for the sake of drawing." *laughs*

"So you mean you enjoy drawing more than writing, yes?"

"Hai. For me, drawing is easier and lot less complicated. But most people nowadays draw using computer and I have no idea how to do that. So my only choice is by writing them. But I do learn a lot from writing and I'm starting to enjoy it, but my forte is still drawing."

"I was informed that you also draw DWL, for commercializing. Is that true?"

"Not really. Like I said, I still prefer drawing and I draw parts for DWL, like chapter covers and miscellaneous scenes are for the sake of satisfying myself. On the bright side, DWL matures both my writing and drawing styles."

"A perfect combo, I'd say. So do you miss drawing as much as you used to?"

"Yes. Before, I can draw a lot of Kurama and Youko in different styles, but now it's only chapter covers and it's more restricted. But I do take requests from my friends to draw and it makes me happy that they're satisfied by it."

"If I make a request of you now, would you do it?"

"Of course. Drawing is sometimes my excuse to not write." *laughs*

"Alrighty. I already read DWL to the recent chapter and one of the most intriguing thing was 'the curse'. How did you thought of that?"

"I make sure that what I write are close to the canon and since YYH is supernatural themed, I decided to explain the separation in the supernatural way. At that time I was addicted to Tokyo Babylon by CLAMP, and it was actually thanks to the manga that I finally know how to explain the separation."

"So sensei is also an otaku, ne? Another question, sensei. How come Youko's thoughts seemed different in Chapter 2 and Chapter 4? In Chapter 2, he way of thinking is almost the same as Kurama, but how come he was so cold in Chapter 4?"

"First I would like to say that Youko's mind is very complicated and we get to see a glimpse of his head in the second annex, 'Forgotten'. His way of thinking is still the same as his Youko self, but a little nicer. On the outside, he's the teenage Youichi but in the inside, he's still the Youko thief. Regarding the difference in his way of thinking, the main reason is the curse. In Chapter 2, Kurama and Youko were still newly separated, so even if their bodies are already separated, their souls and minds were still muddled together, not fully separated. So in Chapter 2, his thoughts were influenced by Kurama's, thus not his original thoughts."

"That's pretty complex. I have a hard time catching." *laughs*

"Well, to put it simply, I made Kurama into two characters:  
1) Youko (Youichi), the youkai.  
2) Kurama (Shuichi), the human.

That's how they are in this fic. You can refer them like Daisuke Niwa and Dark Mousy from D.N Angel. Though I don't follow the manga, those two were the ones that sparked the idea of saperating Shuichi and Youko."

"Ah! I get it now! So sensei's main inspiration comes from manga and anime."

"Yes. Thank you to all the great mangaka that inspires me most: Yoshihiro Togashi-sensei, CLAMP-sensei, Toboso Yana-sensei and others! And also special thanks to my favorite group, Arashi! Your songs give me the will to continue!

"Last question, will the YYH crew appear in this fic again?"

"Yes! In fact Chapter 5 will be the last installment for the first arc and the second arc will center on the YYH gang fighting new enemies. It's not Yu Yu Hakusho if it doesn't have those guys fighting." *laughs*

"I will be looking forward to the next arc! Thank you so much, sensei! Any last words for your readers?"

"Thank you so much to everyone that had read DWL! Hontouni hontouni aishiteru! Please continue supporting me. If not, at least support the Minamino twins! *laughs* All of you helped me in improving and supporting me too. Again, thank you, thank you, thank you so much!"

"That was Hana4262, author for the fanfiction, 'Days without Lies'. Be sure to read and review! If any of you would like to contact her, just search for 'hanachan4262' in Twitter and DeviantArt. Or 'Hana Farhanah' in Facebook. That's all for today's Studio Life. Until next time, Studio Life! Bye!"


End file.
